Police: Woman seen slapping infant on Instagram post charged with child abuse

SANFORD, Fla. — A Sanford woman was arrested Tuesday after police say they received tips from the public about an Instagram post showing her abusing a small child.

Police responded to 23-year-old Tya Posley’s home on Windridge Circle Tuesday morning to investigate a report of possible child abuse, but found nothing wrong.

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Minutes later, the same officer received an email with the Instagram video attached.

According to her arrest report, the video shows Posley yelling and pointing at the one-year-old child before slapping it on what appeared to be the face and back. The person who anonymously sent the video to police said the abuse had been going on for a year.

Police returned to Posley’s home and arrested her for child abuse without causing great bodily harm.

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In an interview with detectives, Posley denied hitting the child. However, after reviewing the Instagram post, police were able to positively identify her as the person seen and heard in the video.

“The video showing what this helpless infant endured is both gut-wrenching and infuriating,” Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith said in a statement. “Though social media often brings about many challenges, today is a day I am grateful for it, as it brought forth swift relief and protection for this young child.”

Smith went on to thank the public for telling police about the video, saying it may have saved the child’s life.

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Posley was booked into the Seminole County Jail Tuesday and has since been released on $2,000 bond.

The child was removed from her custody by Child Protective Services.

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