A Hialeah daycare director was detained after reportedly striking a 3-year-old while changing his diaper, according to authorities.
Rosa Iriarte Alcala, 52, was detained Thursday on a charge of child abuse with no substantial physical harm, according to the arrest report.
Alcala had been the director of E-Z Daycare on West 30th Street, according to documents.
When his grandmother picked him up on October 10, the child’s mother found a handprint on his left leg.
The mother reported it to the daycare owner, who informed her that she had reviewed surveillance tape and found Alcala punching the boy while changing his diaper, according to the report.
Investigators later checked the footage and confirmed that Alcala struck the youngster with an open hand, according to the report.
According to the report, photos of the youngster taken that day revealed “visible redness on the left thigh consistent with being struck by an adult hand (the outline of two fingers still shows printed on the skin).”
Alcala was booked into jail and appeared in front of a court on Friday, where she was assigned a public lawyer and given pre-trial release on a $5,000 alternative bond.
E-Z Daycare issued a statement on Friday regarding the arrest.
“We are deeply saddened by the recent incident involving one of our employees. As soon as we became aware of the situation, we acted immediately and are fully cooperating with the child’s parents, local authorities, and the Department of Children and Families,” the statement read. “The child is safe and remains in our care. We want to assure our families and the community that we take the safety and well-being of every child very seriously. While this incident was the work of a single individual, it does not reflect the values or standards of our program. Appropriate steps have been taken to address the situation, and we remain committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all children.”
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