A childcare worker is facing charges for allegedly mistreating a disabled child under her care, as stated by law enforcement officials.
Shocking video footage suggests that Kaitlyn Pitzer, 36, applied hand sanitizer to wounds on the 11-year-old’s arms and mocked the child by smearing icing on their face. Subsequently, she was terminated from her position at the daycare center.
Authorities reveal that surveillance footage captured Pitzer and another assistant attempting to bandage the child’s forehead while the child was seated on the floor.
After the child shifted, Pitzer reportedly forcefully pushed the child’s forehead, causing a sudden backward movement that appeared aggressive and excessive, according to police reports.
Shortly after, Pitzer allegedly teased the child with a piece of cake, prompting the child to reach for it and get icing on their finger.
The accused worker, hailing from Florida, supposedly seized the child’s finger and used it to spread icing on the child’s face. She then aggressively applied more icing from the floor to the child’s forehead, as per the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
During an interview with deputies, Pitzer allegedly found the icing incident amusing at the time. The surveillance footage shows Pitzer vigorously wiping the distressed child’s face with a paper towel.
Subsequently, Pitzer escorted the child to a hand sanitizer station, where she applied sanitizer to wounds on the child’s arms, causing the child to flee to the other side of the classroom in distress, according to officials.
Deputies consulted with the child’s parent, who expressed deep concern after viewing the surveillance footage. The parent highlighted that Pitzer’s forceful actions could have led to serious harm due to the child’s existing medical conditions.
The incident reportedly occurred at Tender Care PPEC in Spring Hill. Deputies indicate that the facility’s management had suspicions that Pitzer, who had recently been dismissed, had mistreated a child during her employment.
Pitzer has been formally charged with one count of child abuse, as confirmed by the sheriff’s office.
She was apprehended at her residence on October 9. Authorities stated that she admitted to feeling frustrated and acknowledged her inappropriate behavior. Pitzer is currently detained at the Hernando County Detention Center on a $5,000 (£3,713) bond.
