Two former day care teachers face child cruelty charges after surveillance video appears to show them physically and mentally abusing children last month, authorities said.
Hannah Belle Grace Diamond, 22, and Pamela Ann Viscarra, 55, were fired from Small Wonders Playcare in Evans after the incidents, which took place on May 29, the Augusta Chronicle reported. They were arrested Tuesday and charged with three counts of cruelty to children by causing excessive physical or mental pain.
Diamond allegedly twisted one child’s head, threw another child onto a changing table and yanked a different child, according to an arrest warrant obtained by the newspaper.
Viscarra is accused of pulling a boy across the floor by his hair, snatching another child by the arm off a couch and slapping a child in the face, according to another warrant obtained by the Chronicle.
The director of the day care saw the footage after receiving several complaints about the two teachers, and the day care sent a statement to the newspaper that said:
“Because of our diligence in protecting children, we self-reported the information to (Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning), our Georgia child care licensing agency and the Columbia County Sheriff's Department. Small Wonders holds itself accountable for being a responsible employer and care provider and will continue to provide children with a safe and loving environment.”
Diamond and Viscarra were booked into the Columbia County jail. AJC.com has reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information on their custody.
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