A caregiver at a daycare center in Elche (Alicante) has been arrested for allegedly slapping an 18-month-old girl on the cheek in the playground, an action that was recorded from outside and has gone viral. This was reported this Wednesday by the National Police.
The events, which occurred on October 25, were filmed from a nearby balcony by a neighbor who handed the video over to the police. In the recording it can be seen that in the yard there is an 8-month-old baby and another 18-month-old, and that the first one was crying, to which the caregiver came out from inside and slapped the older one and then took her inside, leaving alone to the smallest one.
In addition to the video, the complaint also explained that for some time several children had been observed crying in the nursery school yard who seemed not to be cared for by their caregivers.
Given these events, an investigation was initiated and the caregiver, who also turned out to be the daycare manager, was located and was arrested for an alleged crime of degrading treatment of a minor in her care with minor injuries.
The proceedings have been transferred to the Elche guard court, while the police have added that they will not offer more information due to the young age of the victims and to preserve both their privacy and that of their families.
In statements to journalists, the lawyer for the parents of the 18-month-old girl has reported that the events that occurred in October were made known to the affected parents at the Elche Police Station, without them having any suspicion of the attack on them. his daughter.
“The parents had no suspicions. It seemed unthinkable to them that they would be mistreated. One of the parents told the police that the manager always made excuses for the other children to justify the injuries,” Prieto indicated. Likewise, the little girl’s mother informed the lawyer that, after the events, the manager held a meeting with the parents of the minors who attended the daycare, although excluding the fathers and mothers of the two minors filmed in the video.
For his part, the father of the 8-month-old baby has told the media that his daughter appeared on October 25 with a bite on her left eye and has indicated that the caregiver, in a mobile application in which she realizes of how each child’s day progresses in daycare, he attributed it to the fact that “a boy tried to kiss” the girl and that, “since they don’t measure strength, he bit her.” The father also asked him about the scratches on her baby, although he did not receive any response, he said.
“My daughter now cries a lot and shakes in the mornings. “It has been a very difficult few months, but now she is in another daycare center, where we are very grateful for the treatment and help they give us,” she said. Later, he added: “We have not filed a complaint. If the Court sees it appropriate, I will do so, but my daughter’s case is part of the complaint filed.”