Alabama Daycare Workers Accused of Beating Kids with Belt; Arrested after Mother find Child Crying Desperately
An Alabama day care is facing probation and two workers have been arrested following allegations of physical abuse towards children.
Precious Vessels Learning Center was placed on 6-month probation following investigation into May incident involving staff members and children.
Talladega police have identified the individual with the belt as Jasmine Ragland. She has been charged with 3rd-degree assault.
Talladega police identify Shirley Curry as the staffer involved in the slapping incident with the child.
Lakkeria Swain noticed a noticeable shift in her 3-year-old son’s behavior while he was attending the daycare.
“His behavior changed a lot, he would cry a lot, feeling withdrawn but I always thought it was because he wasn’t used to [day care]” Swain said.
According to reports, a surveillance video captured an incident where a child, identified as her son Lexington, was subjected to physical abuse, including slapping and hitting with a belt.
“I would never think that was the reason because I thought that they would protect my baby, that was the last thing on my mind,” she said.
In mid-May, when Swain went to pick up Lexington from day care, he found him in tears, desperately reaching for his leg.
“When I asked the teachers, no one could face me, until I went back the second time,” Swain said.
During her second visit to question day care leaders, Swain was provided with surveillance video footage of the incident.
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A woman, identified by police as Curry, is captured in a video clip, sitting in a chair at a table. Lexington is positioned next to a shelf system.
Curry’s unexpected encounter with Lexington leaves them rolling back in their chair with wheels. He instinctively reaches up and grabs the side of his head.
Lexington’s latest video captures a daring moment as they ascend to new heights on a tabletop. Ragland, the second teacher, is positioned in the center of three tables, according to the police.
Curry casually handles a belt, briefly acknowledging Ragland before returning it to the table. Ragland picks up the item and heads towards Lexington.
According to authorities, Ragland proceeded to strike Lexington with the belt on multiple occasions.
He seems to have been struck on his knees and the side of his legs as he moves away from the table. He then crouches, clutching his legs, and sways back and forth.
“It breaks my heart every time I look at it, I can’t even look at it because I just feel like I wish I was there to try to help him,” Swain said.
After the incident, when Swain collected her son, she noticed that Lexington had caused welts to form on his leg.
“That tells me that was some serious force,” Rod Giddens, a former prosecutor and Swain’s attorney, said.
He describes the video as truly unique and unlike anything he has ever witnessed.
“I would like to know what in the name of God gave them the right to treat 3-year-olds like this? It’s crazy,” Giddens said.
According to Swain, her son has been deeply affected by the incident.
“If I put on his belt in his pants, he would kind of back up like he was in trouble, but then I have to tell him, ‘You’re not in trouble,’” Swain said. “So, I try not to have belts around.”
Giddens mentioned the possibility of jail time for Curry and Ragland if they are found guilty.
“A lot of these cases don’t have video so it’s he said she said. This is plain and simple what happened, you can’t lie your way out of this one,” he said.
Precious Vessels Learning Center declined to provide a comment on the matter, according to a spokesperson.
Curry and Ragland have chosen not to provide any comments during their recent court appearances.
