Statesville day care worker accused of assaulting toddler fired, owner says

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Statesville police have arrested and charged a day care worker after a mother told them she found injuries on her 22-month-old son.

The owner of the day care told Channel 9's Dave Faherty that 54-year-old Lori Turner, an 11-year employee, has been fired from the center. The owner said surveillance "cameras don't lie" and the evidence from the video was enough to let her go immediately.

When asked about her reaction to the video, the owner told Channel 9 that she was "very hurt."

Police said they responded to the Future Generation Child Development Center just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday after a mother called to report her child was injured at the location.

Jennifer Sanchez said she was looking for a job and enrolled her son at Future Generations Child Developmental Center earlier this week.

Sanchez said when she picked up the 22-month-old Tuesday afternoon, he was not acting right and when she got home, she spotted injuries to his leg. She said she went to the hospital and took pictures of what she said appears to be a hand mark from where he was struck.

"You see these things on TV, but you never think it would hit home. It was heart-wrenching. He had scratch marks under his arm and then on his stomach. So, it was very heart-wrenching to think how could someone do this to a child," Sanchez said.

Police said they began reviewing hours of surveillance video of the day care center and arrested Turner Thursday night.

Channel 9 checked state records and the day care, which cares for more than 60 children, was inspected last month and classified by the North Carolina Division of Child Development as “superior”.

No action has been taken against the day care in the last three years, but Sanchez said no one at the day care spoke up about her son’s injuries when she picked him up.

“I’m worried about the other children and if their person has children. I’m concerned for others safety,” said Sanchez.

Turner was charged with misdemeanor assault on a child under 12 and received a $1,000 bond.

Channel 9 asked police why Turner was charged with a misdemeanor instead of a felony, and they said the injury did not warrant a more serious charge.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for more information. 

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