M faces five felony child abuse charges
A preschool teacher was arrested after surveillance footage captured her repeatedly striking toddlers in her care with multiple objects, West Melbourne police said.
According to the affidavit, the abuse occurred at Mustard Seed Kidz on Eber Boulevard between May 19 and May 26. On Wednesday, the school director contacted police after a parent reported M, 41, had flicked a student in the face. Surveillance footage showed M striking five children — ages 2 to 4 — with a metal stapler, a shoe, a bucket, a stuffed animal, and her open hand across 11 incidents.
Footage also showed her flicking and pinching children, grabbing them by their shirts, and, on one occasion, throwing a shoe at a child and missing before grabbing the child and yelling in the child’s face.
Police said surveillance footage showed the children “displaying visible pain responses” following the incidents.
The director contacted the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and confronted M on May 26 before terminating her employment. According to the affidavit, M responded by saying, “My babies are gonna miss me.”
Police also noted the footage showed the abuse occurred only when no other adults were present in the room.
M, who lives in Palm Bay, was arrested on Thursday. She faces five felony counts of child abuse without great bodily harm.
M had been employed at the school since August 2025, but surveillance footage was only available for the final week before her termination, police said.
Mustard Seed Kidz released the following statement regarding M arrest:
The safety and well-being of every child in our care is our highest priority.
After receiving a parent complaint regarding alleged inappropriate conduct by a staff member, our administration immediately took action. The employee was removed from contact with children, and the matter was promptly reported by our school to law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families.
We are fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation and will continue to support the authorities as they conduct their work. Because this is an active investigation, we cannot comment further on specific details.
The reported behavior does not reflect the values, standards, or expectations of our preschool. We remain committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and secure environment for all children entrusted to our care.
While we already maintain comprehensive policies, procedures, and training designed to ensure the safety and well-being of every child, we are using this opportunity to further review and strengthen our practices as part of our ongoing commitment to excellence.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
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Source: Clickorlando
