Child Care Workers Taunt And Attack Autistic Boy In Snapchat Video
Two Florida child care workers turned themselves into local authorities this week after a Snapchat video surfaced of them taunting and attacking an 8-year-old autistic boy. Warrants for the arrests of the two women were issued Thursday, with police charging them with child neglect, child abuse and battery against the boy, who at one point hid under a table and cried.
The Winter Haven Police Department on Friday morning posted on Facebook that the two woman — Kaderrica Smith, 26, and Alexus Henderson, 20 — had turned themselves in. Police were tipped off on Sept. 1 about the video in which the two workers at Our Children’s of Winter Haven, a nonprofit child care center, were seen “taunting, aggravating, yelling at and doing a leg sweep on the student,” according to a Thursday press release.
The boy who was subjected to the abuse was diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, ODD and severe outbursts. At one point in the video, the child is seen taking cover under a table as one of the women throws a backpack at him and scolds him. Both women could be heard throughout the video taunting the boy.
Both Henderson and Smith said in an initial interview with police Sept. 15 that they neither believed their actions were inappropriate nor that they were guilty of any wrongdoing, according to the news release. Both women were subsequently fired from Our Children’s of Winter Haven and had their child care certifications put on hold while the investigation was ongoing.
After determining that crimes had in fact been committed against the child, police were unable to locate the two women. A warrant was subsequently released for their arrest.
“These workers were supposed to be trained in how to handle children with behavioral issues,” Police Chief Charlie Bird said in a statement. “They are trained to deescalate situations, but that obviously did not happen.”
Smith was charged with battery and child abuse and is being held without bond. Henderson was charged with child neglect and was released on bond. CBS-affiliate WTSP in Tampa reported that Smith’s first court appearance was set for Friday.
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