Teacher records co-worker's abuse of toddlers at MN day care. ‘I had to do something'
The videos, recorded by an assistant teacher in the classroom at Lil' Explorers Childcare Center in Plymouth, show the lead teacher screaming at multiple children, picking them up and forcefully slamming them into chairs.
Yanni Thomas publicly shared the videos and announced Feb. 6 she was no longer employed at the day care center. She said in a Facebook post the facility's environment does not align with her ethics or morals.
'I wasn't going to leave my kids with her and in her care. I knew I had to do something to make it be known,' Thomas told KSTP.
In a statement to multiple outlets, including KMSP, the day care center said it does 'not tolerate behavior of this kind.'
'The individuals involved are no longer employed with us. In addition, we have initiated an investigation into this issue and are fully cooperating with authorities,' the facility said. 'We are also providing proper notifications to our local licensing.'
The day care said all of its employees have passed background checks and received extensive training. It called on employees to report concerns to management directly.
Thomas, meanwhile, took a different approach, as she took her complaint to the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the day care's management company, according to KMSP.
'I didn't think the teacher was fit for the job,' Thomas told KARE. 'She didn't seem like she was mentally OK. And some action needed to be taken.'
Thomas said she intervened at times to try to stop the outbursts from the lead teacher. She reached her breaking point, according to the Facebook post, when the lead teacher used derogatory language toward students and snatched them by their arms.
The incidents are being investigated by the Plymouth Police Department, according to Bring Me The News.
Parents and teachers react
Several parents expressed their outrage about the incidents after viewing the videos.
One parent, who learned of the abuse through Facebook, said she 'immediately' removed her son from the day care. Chandler Marnay described sadness and anger that leadership at the day care 'are not being held accountable.'
'I'M DISGUSTED and will not stop until I get justice for my son and the rest of the children affected,' Marnay said in a Facebook post.
Nicole Miller, like Marnay, said her son will not be returning to the day care. She said she was 'absolutely disturbed' by the incidents, calling them 'unacceptable.'
'My heart breaks knowing I trusted this center to watch my baby and for the kids in those videos,' Miller said on Facebook.
Serena Brambilla also removed her child from the day care, telling KSTP the force and anger shown by the teacher brought her to tears.
Thomas is not the only teacher at the school who was fed up by what was uncovered in the videos. Donnia Webber, who worked at the school for just over a year, announced her resignation in a Facebook post Feb. 7.
Webber said multiple teachers reported the acts by the teacher shown in the videos, but the day care's director did not take action until later.
'It's been an extremely difficult decision but I no longer feel I can be part of a daycare center that does not put the wellbeing and proper care of the children first,' Webber said.
Thomas told KMSP she thinks the center 'should be shut down.'
All of the children in the classroom shown in the videos are under 4 years old, according to WCCO.
'How can I trust somebody else? I can't afford a nanny, it's too expensive,' Erika Sopkowiak, whose daughter goes to the day care, told WCCO. 'Where do I go from here? I don't know, I can't afford to stop working.'
Plymouth is a western suburb of Minneapolis.
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