Latest news with #LilExplorers
CBS News
07-05-2025
- CBS News
Plymouth day care teacher's alleged excessive discipline caught on camera, charges say
A woman who was allegedly caught on camera forcefully grabbing, pushing and shouting at children at a Twin Cities day care now faces a gross misdemeanor charge. The 21-year-old woman from Champlin, Minnesota, is charged with one count of malicious punishment of a child, according to court documents filed last week. Police in Plymouth, Minnesota, first received a report about potential abuse at Lil' Explorers Childcare Center in February, from the father of a 3-year-old boy at the facility. Another teacher told the father that the woman charged "picked up [the boy] by one arm and pushed him into a chair with force, before yelling in [his] face," the complaint states. A teacher recorded video showing the alleged abuse, along with the woman "grabbing other children and yelling at them," according to the complaint. In February, WCCO spoke with a teacher who recorded video of some of the woman's behavior, Za'Kiyah Thomas. She said she complained to day care management about the woman and reported her actions to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. "It definitely was an uncomfortable situation, but yesterday I decided to take a step back so I could get it on camera because I knew it was going to be my last day and I couldn't just leave my kids there with her without me to protect them to make sure they were OK," Thomas said at the time. When the video first surfaced, Cadence Education, the parent company of Lil' Explorers, gave WCCO the following statement: "We do not tolerate behavior of this kind, and 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 woman is not in custody. To report concerns about child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse, the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families recommends contacting the county or Tribal Nation where the child lives. You can find a list of Minnesota's county and tribal child protection agencies by clicking here. If there is an immediate concern of harm to the child, the agency recommends calling 911. Note: The video above originally aired Feb. 7, 2025.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Yahoo
Staff fired at Plymouth childcare center after shocking videos shared online
A Plymouth childcare center says it has fired several staff members after videos depicting shocking treatment of children in its care was shared online, sparking an investigation by police. A spokesperson for the Lil' Explorers Child Care Center at 9905 45th Avenue North tells Bring Me The News the alleged abuse involved "several former employees" and that it's taking the allegations "very seriously." "We do not tolerate behavior of this kind, and 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 spokesperson said. "We are also providing proper notifications to our local licensing." A Facebook post that has since gone viral details allegations from an employee who quit the center, but not before she recorded videos of the abuse. The videos shows a woman screaming at preschool-age children, aggressively picking children up and slamming them into a seated position on chairs, using language like "I'm so f****** sick of you" towards them, and screaming at a child for having an accident. The former employee said children at the center "experienced several verbal outbursts using derogatory language, physical abuse, being snatched by the arm and slammed in chairs." "I recorded this behavior and at times intervened," the former employee said, adding the videos and information has been forwarded to licensing as well as child protective services for review. "When I decided to join the childcare industry my mission was to create a safe environment for children to learn, grown and explore. My time with Lil Explorers has expired but I will continue my mission as an educator," the former employee stated. Another former employee shared the post, saying they observed similar behavior from staff during their time at the center. The spokesperson for Lil' Explorers says all employees are required to go through background checks and add that employees are trained "extensively on maintaining safety and their reporting obligations." "We also regularly remind them of their obligations as mandated reporters. Finally, we train employees on how to handle difficult situations in classrooms, including asking for help, offering help when it is needed, and immediately notifying management of classroom concerns," the spokesperson said. An investigation is underway by Plymouth Police Department.
