AVON, Ind. – A former Avon daycare staff member was arrested after being accused of battering, attacking and abusing a 3-year-old boy under her care.
Court documents detailed at least three separate incidents in which 42-year-old Cari Ann Smith was caught on camera and alleged to have attacked the child at Imagination Station in Avon. Police said on Jan. 19, a report was filed with the Department of Child Services.
In the report, Smith was believed to be throwing blocks at the child during his time at daycare on Jan. 16.
This was during the daycare’s nap time and video evidence also reportedly revealed that Smith had put the child in a cot and “kick(ed) him on his buttocks.”
According to the probable cause, Smith was terminated due to the incident before the DCS report was filed.
Investigators said on Jan. 16, Smith was caught on camera slamming the boy onto his cot, face first. The force was so great that the child’s head bounced off the metal frame and “snapped backwards,” according to court documents.
During this interaction, Smith had also stomped on the boy’s posterior area (twice), police said.
Additional video showed Smith also had another incident with the same child where the boy was seen throwing a ball and then small blocks at her. She was seen retaliating by throwing blocks back at the 3-year-old, some with such force that they flew several feet past the child.
Police said other children were in the room during both incidents but Smith was the only adult present. During an interview, a fellow staff member from the daycare stated that Smith had been employed there for 7 years.
The staff member said she had not had any prior issues with Smith.
When investigators were able to ask the child if he liked his teacher, he stated, “No…I don’t want Ms. Cari.” He was then asked if he liked another staff member and he said, “Yeah.”
During a later questioning, Smith alleged that she knew the situation she was being potentially arrested for and she said, “Yes…but he was not injured. I was not intentionally trying to hurt him at all. I would not ever hurt…”
Smith initially thought officers were talking about the blocks and then police informed her that her employer had mentioned the nap time incident.
After learning that, Smith proceeded to ask for an attorney and was booked into the Hendricks County Jail.
She was preliminarily charged with:
- Kidnapping, resulting in bodily injury, Level 4 felony
- Eight counts of battery resulting in bodily injury to a person under 14, Level 5 felony
No initial hearing has been scheduled.
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