A woman who was an assistant teacher at a Loganville day care has been fired and arrested after she “slammed” a child onto their sleeping mat when the child would not lie down, according to police.
Amara Maria Hazzard was fired from Strong Roots Academy on Nov. 11, shortly after the alleged incident, a Loganville police report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said. Hazzard was arrested after the child’s parents watched security camera footage and chose to press charges.
According to the police report, Hazzard was trying to put the child down for a nap and made several attempts to get the child to lie down. When the child did not follow her instructions, Hazzard picked them up and slammed them face-down onto the mat, the report said. Another day care employee said Hazzard then picked up the child by one arm and carried them to a different part of the room.
When the directors saw what Hazzard had done, they fired her on the spot, the report said. Hazzard retorted, saying the child “wouldn’t lay down,” according to the report. As the dispute escalated, Hazzard became angry and threw a computer monitor at the reception desk before leaving, the report said.
Responding officers checked the child for injuries and took photos, but the child did not seem to be hurt, the report said.
Hazzard was stopped by Walton County deputies shortly after leaving and returned to the day care, according to the report. The parents also arrived at the facility and told police they wanted to press charges.
Hazzard was booked into the Walton County Jail on one count of second-degree cruelty to children, the report said. She was later released on bond.
Loganville police notified Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services about the incident, the report said.
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