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Mom claims her toddler was abused at Marion County daycare
Prishawna Smith said she was stunned when detectives told her that her son, Josiah, was allegedly picked up and slammed back onto a nap mat by a teacher at Bright Beginnings Learning Center in Summerfield.
SUMMERFIELD, Fla. - A Florida mother claims her 1-year-old son was abused at a daycare in Marion County.
She said she was not notified until days after the alleged incident.
The backstory:
Prishawna Smith said she was stunned when detectives told her that her son, Josiah, was allegedly picked up and slammed back onto a nap mat by a teacher at Bright Beginnings Learning Center in Summerfield.
"Attempting to get up off of his nap mat and he was picked up and slammed back down by the teacher and then she kind of hit him upside the head," Smith said.
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Authorities identified the teacher as 31-year-old Laura Flores, a former employee of the daycare. Flores faces three counts of child abuse for allegedly striking Josiah and two other children. Investigators said one child was left with cuts and bruises to the cheeks.
Daycare worker Laura Flores, 31, was arrested in connection to three counts of child abuse. (Source: Marion County Sheriff's Office)
Smith said she noticed no warning signs before the arrest.
"The interactions with her were totally normal. So I didn’t feel any animosity," she said.
Flores declined to comment Tuesday night after bonding out of jail, saying she could not speak about the accusations.
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Smith said she is angry and wants accountability.
"The anger in me wants her behind bars. I want her to have to sit and think about what she’s done. But ultimately, God is going to deal with her," she said.
Daycare worker Laura Flores, 31, was arrested in connection to three counts of child abuse. (Source: Marion County Sheriff's Office)
Flores is scheduled to appear in court next month. Smith said she plans to remove her son from the daycare and enroll him elsewhere.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Marion County Sheriff's Office, and Prishawna Smith, who claims her son was abused at Bright Beginnings Learning Center in Summerfield.