Florida preschool teacher arrested after video shows her pulling 3-year-old's arm, hair: police

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A Volusia County preschool teacher was arrested Friday on a felony child abuse charge involving a 3-year-old girl, police said.

The alleged incident took place in June at Emmaus Lutheran Preschool in Orange City, according to authorities. 

Surveillance video reportedly captured the abuse, and the employee — 58-year-old Zayda Bayala — has since been dismissed from the preschool.

What we know:

The Orange City Police Department launched a criminal investigation on July 7 after receiving a complaint from the child’s mother. She told police her daughter said Bayala had pulled her hair and arm.

Investigators said the mother initially did not report the allegation but later came forward after her daughter repeatedly expressed fear about returning to school during the week of July 4 and described Bayala as "mean."

Authorities said the mother reported her concerns to the preschool’s director, who immediately reviewed the surveillance footage.

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Surveillance video from June 27 reportedly showed Bayala aggressively approaching the young girl, grabbing her arm twice, and later pulling her by the hair, causing her to fall as she tried to move away, police said.

Authorities noted that the child appeared visibly distressed in the footage.

Based on the video evidence, officers obtained a warrant for Bayala’s arrest on a charge of child abuse without great bodily harm.

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She was taken into custody at her home on Friday morning and booked into the Volusia County Jail.

Police said Bayala has been relieved of her duties at the preschool, and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) has been notified.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the full extent of Bayala’s disciplinary history, if any, or whether additional incidents or victims are under review. The preschool has not commented publicly, and it remains unclear what internal actions, if any, the facility has taken since the arrest.

The backstory:

Initially, the girl's parents questioned the credibility of their daughter's repeated complaints that "the teachers were mean." But after growing concern and discussion, they visited the school and viewed the footage that appeared to validate her fears, they told FOX 35 News.

What they're saying:

The couple say they initially dismissed their 3-year-old daughter’s claims about mistreatment at daycare — until they saw the video.

"She kept saying she didn’t want to go to school, that the teachers were mean," the child's mother said. "It was a shock. The first thing I wanted to do was get to my daughter," her father added.

Orange City Police confirmed the video was reviewed as part of their investigation and was used as evidence in the arrest.

"It seemed like she had some type of aggression or anger," the mother said after watching the video. "She just literally walked over there, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her straight to the ground," the father said.

Though the child was not seriously injured, the parents said she has shown signs of emotional distress since the alleged incident and is now receiving counseling.

"We know she’s not going to sit in jail, but I do think the world should know who she is as a person," the child's mother said.

Orange City Police Capt. Jason Ward urged families to trust their instincts and pay attention to their children’s concerns.

"Parents need to listen and think, ‘Why is my child telling me this?’" explained Capt. Jason Ward, Orange City Police. "Don’t be afraid to check on the school." 

Attempts to reach Emmaus Lutheran Preschool for comment have not been successful. 

What's next:

Bayala has a court appearance set for Saturday at 8:30 a.m., according to Volusia County court records.