SPRING HILL, Fla. (CBS12) — Deputies say a former daycare worker was caught on camera pushing and rubbing hand sanitizer on the wounds of a child with disabilities
At 3 p.m. on Thursday, deputies with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) responded to Spring Hill Daycare for reports of child abuse.
Deputies say they received reports from Tender Care that an employee, later identified as 37-year-old Kaitlyn Pitzer, who had since been terminated, was abusing an 11-year-old with disabilities.
Classroom video surveillance allegedly showed Pitzer exhibiting bizarre and abusive behaviours, including:
- Pushing the child’s forehead violently while applying a bandage
- Taunting the child with a piece of cake
- Smearing icing from the cake across the child’s face.
- Picking up the icing that had fallen on the floor and rubbing it into the child’s face
- Grabbing the child and pulling them to a hand sanitizer dispenser, and applying the sanitizer on the child’s open wounds.
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During the investigation, officials spoke with the child’s parents, who said her behaviour was inappropriate, and that the force used to shove the child backward could have caused serious injury due to pre-existing medical conditions.
They also told investigators that their child had scabs that were open and bleeding as a result of the incident.
Pitzer told investigators that she was in a bad mood that day. She said she knew it was wrong, but did not care at the time.
According to HCSO, she admitted to the cake incident but said she thought it was “funny” at the time.
Deputies say they found probable cause to book Pitzer on counts of child abuse.
This case is ongoing; deputies urge anyone with information to call Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1 (866)990-8477.
Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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