Video shows Inglewood daycare teacher throwing shoe at 5-year-old student with autism

Protesters gathered outside of an Inglewood daycare facility on Friday to express their outrage over a disturbing video that shows a teacher throwing her shoe at a 5-year-old student with autism in January. 

The incident was captured on a classroom security camera on Jan. 9 at the Destiny Development Center, in the 4900 block of W. 104th Street. 

Footage shows one of several adults in the room looking towards a child before taking off what appears to be a white sneaker and hurling it across the room at the child. After the shoe hits the child, she walks over and appears to comfort her. The two other adults appear to smile, almost laughing, afterwards. 

The school's director says that none of the adults reported the incident and that they have all been fired. 

In a news release, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said that they were called to the school on Feb. 4 after learning of "an incident involving an alleged physical abuse of a 5-year-old child committed by a staff member."

Deputies said that there have not yet been any arrests connected to the incident and that the school has been cooperative with their investigation. 

"The child did not suffer any serious physical injuries and there are no additional victims reported to investigators at this time," the release said. 

Community activists and political leaders also appeared outside the school on Friday, along with protesters. One of those in attendance was the child's mother, who says that not all of the teachers were fired immediately.

"My baby went to school with people who abused her and laughed for a week and a half before you fired them," said Michelae Jones. "Then, I come up here with the Lennox Police Department and they say them two people that were laughing at abuse can't be charged. I can't press charges. I'm devastated."

She said that she wants all three of the women arrested and put in jail. 

Danielle Williams, the director of the daycare, shared an apology statement via Instagram. 

"I understand the hurt, frustration of the mother. I'm a mother, a Black mother, a Black educator. During the interview with our previous employee, and continued employment, the staff never presented behaviors to this child or others in her care that would warrant us to assume that she would harm a child," Williams said. "When we hire staff, we cannot predict that there may be a day that they'll decide to abuse a child."

She shared a contract stating that all employees are required to agree to training before beginning employment, which also laid out different types of abuse that "must be reported." Williams also noted that they followed the necessary protocol to report the incident and continue to cooperate with state investigators.

"We do not agree with the actions of the teachers," Williams said. "We do not stand for abuse and neglect of a child of any kind. ... Again, we are deeply sorry and this is a terrible incident, and it does not define our school, it does not define what we stand for. It does not define what I've taken 15 years to build, it does not define the character of who Destiny Development is."

CBS LA reached out to the California Department of Social Services and learned that the facility has been cited eight times since 2021, including an incident in February of 2025 when a child was left unattended on a bus. They said that it was not reported by the director until nearly two weeks after it happened, which is typically required within 24 hours of occurrence.

"The Department is conducting an investigation and cannot comment on ongoing investigations. An investigation report will be posted on our transparency website once the investigation is complete," said a statement from the California Department of Social Services. 

Anyone who knows more was urged to contact LASD's Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-5273.