Two teachers at a Blaine daycare center are facing charges after they were caught on surveillance video mistreating several infants under their care.
Chloe Kaye Johnson, 24, and Elizabeth Augusta Wiemerslage, 22, are facing serious charges related to the mistreatment of a young child. They have been accused of felony malicious punishment of a child under four, third-degree assault against a victim under four, and two counts of gross misdemeanor malicious punishment of a child.
Johnson and Wiemerslage were arrested on Thursday and released on Friday after posting bail.
According to the complaint, Johnson was the main teacher in the infant’s room, while Wiemerslage served as the other teacher.
On July 16, Blaine police received a report of potential child abuse at Small World Daycare Center in Blaine, according to the charges. According to the report, a 5-month-old infant was found with unexplained bruising all over her body.
According to court documents, the parents of the infant stated that they had taken her to the daycare center on the morning of July 15, and there were no signs of bruising or red marks. Upon collecting their child from daycare later that day, the parents were alarmed to discover bruising on the lower half of the infant’s body.
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The parents reached out to the daycare center to inquire about the bruising. According to the charges, the daycare center reportedly suggested that the bruising could have been caused by the chair or swing in the immobile infant room. Based on court documents, officers were provided with photos of the infant in the mentioned chairs, and it appeared that the leg holes were not tight enough to cause any marks or bruising.
According to court documents, Johnson claimed that the bruising may have been caused by the infant chairs in the room. According to Wiemerslage, it is possible that any marks on the infant could have been caused by the swing or chair, as the baby tends to “slump” in her seat.
Johnson initially stated that she did not observe any bruising on the infant when they were dropped off on July 15. However, she did mention noticing some redness in the infant’s pelvic area later that afternoon. According to court documents, Johnson observed that the redness had transformed into bruising the following day. According to Wiemerslage, there were no signs of redness or bruising on July 15.
Based on the charges, Johnson and Wiemerslage were caught on surveillance video mistreating several infants in their care at the daycare.
According to court documents, Johnson can be observed in a video treating the mentioned infant with a lack of gentleness on multiple occasions. A video captures Johnson sitting with the infant on a floor mat, and proceeds to move her around with a certain intensity.
Johnson proceeds to handle the infant in a forceful manner, swiftly flipping them from their stomach to their back. It is reported that Johnson allowed the infant to remain on one side for only a brief moment.
The charges state that the video depicts the infant’s arms flailing, her body stiffening, and her head lacking support. In the surveillance video, investigators observed that the infant was visibly distressed, crying out with her mouth wide open.
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According to the complaint, Johnson can be seen in the video handling a second infant in a forceful manner and reportedly covering the infant’s mouth with a cloth for a few seconds while the infant is crying.
According to the charges, Johnson is accused of handling the second infant roughly, gripping their neck and forcefully pulling them up by the arm. Additionally, she allegedly inserted and removed a bottle from the second infant’s mouth in a rapid and forceful manner, preventing them from being able to drink from it.
In the video, Wiemerslage is seen picking up the second infant and forcefully dropping them onto a support pillow, according to the complaint. There are reports of Wiemerslage being observed handling another infant and forcefully placing them on a changing table.
Based on the charges, there is video evidence showing Weimerslage forcefully lifting the third infant by their arm as the infant cries. Weimerslage then proceeds to handle the infant on the floor mat in a rough manner, while Johnson supposedly observes.
Wiemerslage is then observed with the first infant, who is resting on the mat. According to the charges, Wiemerslage allegedly pulls the first infant forcefully by her legs. Wiemerslage proceeds to handle the first infant with force, placing her onto a support pillow and applying pressure to her torso.
According to the charges, investigators observed that the infants under Johnson and Wiemerslage’s care were unable to walk or crawl, appearing to be immobile.
According to authorities, Small World Daycare Center is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Other families at the center have been notified and encouraged to have their children checked for any unexplained injuries. They have also been advised to contact the police if they notice anything suspicious.