Four Mississippi daycare workers face felony child abuse charges for scaring children with a terrifying mask, while a fifth individual faces two misdemeanor counts.
The charges were filed after a video went viral online showing the daycare staff terrorizing children while wearing masks similar to those used in the horror movie "Scream."
Sheila Sanders, who owns the daycare, is not being prosecuted. She claims that the footage led to the termination of at least four workers, according to AP News.
The videos were shot in September and this month, and both have been shared on social media. They originated from the Lil' Blessings Child Care & Learning Center in Hamilton, an unincorporated community in northeast Mississippi.
Video Shows Terrified Children
In the video, the daycare children were seen crying, hiding, and even running away from the worker wearing a scary mask. Another worker issues orders, identifying which kids have been particularly excellent or terrible. The footage shows the masked worker yelling within inches of the faces of toddlers.
Five daycare workers have been charged with felony child abuse after a video of them terrifying small children with a scary mask went viralhttps://t.co/uX4JSgTEbc
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 20, 2022
According to a press statement from Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook, four women were charged with three counts of felony child abuse each. A fifth lady is charged with failing to report abuse by a required reporter and assaulting a kid.
All the culprits were locals, who were identified as Sierra McCandless, 21, Oci-Anna Kilburn, 28, Jennifer Newman, 25, and Shyenne Shelton, 28, are all charged with three counts of felony child abuse, per CBS News.
The Sheriff also mentioned that Traci Hutson, 44, has been charged with two misdemeanors: failing to report abuse by a mandated reporter and simple assault against a child.
Crook speculated that the mask was used as a kind of coercion, as the daycare personnel cannot use corporal punishment. Authorities suspect they were trying to intimidate the kids into doing what they were meant to do.
According to Crook, a meeting was held earlier this week between his office, the county prosecuting attorney, and the district attorney to discuss the matter with the children's parents. At least one set of parents filed criminal child abuse accusations Wednesday, he added, and a judge issued warrants Thursday.
Parents of Victims Worry About the Trauma Sustained by Their Kids
Crook also underscored that investigators do not press charges just because they've seen a video, and authorities do not recommend that anybody else do the same.
"We need time to dig into a situation and find out what the real facts of the case are. All of them," he said.
McCandless and Kilburn's bonds were set at $20,000 apiece, while Newman and Shelton's were placed at $15,000. Hutson did not need to put up a bond since she was charged with a minor offense.
Katelyn Johnson, whose child goes to Lil' Blessings, disclosed that she was shocked by the incident. She told ABC News that nothing about the actions of the daycare staff was appropriate, which made her mad.
"It broke my heart for my child," Johnson said, adding that nothing is funny about their actions, and she hopes to see the personnel end up in jail.
