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Indianapolis daycare cited for violations after video surfaces of child dragging

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — State inspectors cited a south Indianapolis day care with six violations after a video surfaced on Facebook appearing to show a worker dragging a child by the arm.

The video posted to Facebook drew more than 35,000 views in its first day. It appears to show a small boy sitting on the ground of the daycare’s playground when a female worker at the La Petite Academy day care off Kildeer Drive appears to pick up the child by one arm and drag him. She later picks him up and carries him inside the facility. A man who recorded the video from a nearby business and posted to Facebook said he thought the behavior of the daycare worker was excessive.

The state agreed, citing the daycare with six violations after a visit on November 7, that include:

  • a caregiver used inappropriate, harsh discipline with a child
  • the director did not properly supervise a caregiver that used inappropriate discipline with a child
  • there two citations for no documentation of child abuse and neglect prevention/detection training with the previous 12 months for a caregiver that used the inappropriate discipline with a child
  • a caregiver did not summon for assistance on the playground when needed
  • there was a lack of supervision with preschool children on the playground

A spokeswoman for La Petite Academy said that worker in the video is no longer an employee there.

La Petite Academy day care also issued this statement to I-Team 8:

“We will continue to work cooperatively with the state Bureau of Child Development to ensure we fully meet or exceed all licensing requirements.   We’ll continue to review our protocols on supervision and the positive guidance and redirection of children in ongoing training.We remain committed to providing high quality early education and nurturing care.”

No fines have been levied against the day care. Instead, the state’s Family and Social Services Administration said through a spokeswoman that it is working with the day care to address the issues.

No timetable exists for the day care to make the corrections, the FSSA spokeswoman said.