Two daycare workers has been arrested after investigators said they were suspected of berating a child with autism in an incident recorded on video.
Two women who police believe are 26-year-old Kadericca Smith and 19-year-old Alexis Henderson can be seen laughing at the 8-year-old boy inside Our Children’s Academy, in Winter Haven, Florida.
The video was posted on Snapchat,
“Chicken, chicken, chicken,” one woman can be heard saying, as the boy comes out from hiding under a desk.
Later, one of the women is seen holding the boy’s arms before apparently swiping his legs from under him.
Police were first made aware of this on Sept. 1 and say in an initial interview, both women “felt they were acting appropriately” and did nothing wrong. At the time, police hadn’t pressed charges because the Florida Department of Children and Families was still investigating.
Warrants were later issued for the women’s arrest, and they reportedly turned themselves in Friday.
Henderson is charged with child neglect and Smith faces charges of child abuse and battery.
Both ladies were fired and had blocks placed on their certifications so they cannot be employed by other childcare facilities.