Honk News (Johnson County, IN) – An Indiana woman is facing allegations after an incident involving a toddler, though she claims her actions were not severe, according to officials in the state.
Joyce Perkins, 31, faces allegations of battery involving a minor under the age of 14, as reported by the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office.
An incident took place on November 4, 2024, at Kiddie Academy of Greenwood located on South Morgantown Road in Greenwood, a medium-sized city within the larger Indianapolis metropolitan region.
Perkins initially faced job loss at the daycare. According to court documents acquired by local news outlets, the director informed Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputies that he terminated the defendant on the same day the incident took place.
The director subsequently provided a video to the authorities.
The video reportedly captures a toddler spitting on Perkins as she cares for another child. The former employee is reported to have quickly struck the boy’s face with such force that it caused him to turn and collide with a nearby cabinet, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit.
“I had to smack him because he spit all in my face,” the defendant is allegedly heard saying in the video.
Prosecutors allege that the footage includes audio of Perkins stating: “hell no” and “yeah, he spit in my face, I don’t do that.”
Following the reported incident, authorities claim Perkins was observed removing the boy from the room by his shirt.
“Speaking generally, video evidence is very strong evidence and it’s good to have it,” Johnson County prosecutor Lance Hamner told WRTV. “I feel that as a prosecutor our job is to protect. It’s not to just enforce the law. The job requires we use the law to protect people.”
A detective examined the footage and finally located the defendant at her residence earlier this week.
In an interview, Perkins reportedly stated to the detective that she experienced “a reflection, a reflex,” in response to the child spitting on her. The accused reportedly stated: “I didn’t hit him hard, you know, I just gave him a little light tap.” He didn’t shed a tear or anything.
Perkins reportedly claimed that the boy was “acting up” on the day in question by throwing toys while others were assisting in tidying the area. The accused reportedly claimed that the child spat on her when she directly requested his assistance in cleaning up.
The accused reportedly asserted that she did not harm the boy and purportedly justified her behavior by stating: “he was the one spitting on me and that’s battery too.”
The investigator reportedly remarked that the woman’s supposed assailant was merely two years old.
“It was my mother’s instinct to react,” the defendant allegedly reiterated. “He didn’t cry or nothing.”
Perkins has been reported to two state agencies as well.
The daycare center released a statement regarding the incident:
A recent occurrence involved a staff member not adhering to our professional and ethical standards. We took swift action, ending her employment and notifying the Department of Child Services (DCS) about the situation. The state licensing authority carried out a comprehensive investigation and verified that we acted appropriately, implementing all possible measures within our reach to resolve the issue.
The inquiry by law enforcement is reportedly still in progress.
As of now, jail records indicate that Perkins has not been taken into custody.