Authorities report that a daycare educator handled an infant inappropriately, likening the treatment to that of a ‘rag doll.’
Jasmine Collum was taken into custody on October 23, just a week after she reportedly harmed an infant under her supervision (Bell County Jail).
Authorities in Texas were alerted to a concerning situation involving a 3-month-old baby boy who was reportedly exhibiting signs of unusual lethargy. Upon investigation, they found that a daycare teacher was implicated, with video evidence showing her handling the infant in a troubling manner.
A 24-year-old staff member of Ignite Learning Academy in Temple, Jasmine Collum, was taken into custody on Tuesday evening facing a felony charge related to her purported actions at the workplace the previous week.
The Temple Police Department has reported that their investigation, in collaboration with Child Protective Services, commenced late on the night of Oct. 16, following the victim exhibiting “unusual lethargy” at the daycare and subsequently being transported to Baylor Scott and White McLane Children’s Specialty Clinic.
“Upon arrival, officers learned the child had been taken to Ignite Learning Academy in Temple, TX for daycare around 8:00 a.m. that morning,” police said. “At around 4:00 p.m., the child began showing unusual lethargy. EMS was contacted, and it was decided to transport the child for medical care.”
While authorities have not disclosed the method of identifying Collum as a suspect, the details surrounding the third-degree felony case are quite alarming.
A report from a local NBC affiliate revealed that surveillance footage from within the daycare showed Collum engaging in aggressive behavior with the victim, causing the baby to move in a manner reminiscent of a rag doll. This troubling conduct persisted even while the victim was secured in a bouncer, leading to a serious brain injury.
According to court documents, Collum aggressively rocked the bouncer back and forth, used her feet to shake him until he toppled over, yanked him up “by his head,” and continued her actions, as reported by CBS affiliate KWTX, which identified the infant as a male.
The report detailed an incident where Collum reportedly struck the baby in the back before placing him back in the bouncer, using her foot to bounce him until he seemed unresponsive, after which she informed her employer of the situation.
Following that, emergency medical services took action.
In Texas, a third-degree felony for injuring a child is defined as an act that is done “intentionally or knowingly” by an individual.
Records from Bell County Jail show that Collum is still incarcerated as of Friday, with a bond set at $125,000.