Fired St. Paul daycare worker accused of hitting 4-year-old in face hard enough to bruise
An employee at a St. Paul, Minnesota, daycare who was fired after allegedly hitting a 4-year-old in the face multiple times now faces a gross misdemeanor charge.
Aaron Bonnette, 29, is charged with malicious punishment of a child, according to court documents filed earlier this month.
According to a criminal complaint, on June 29, a woman told police that four days prior, her son came home from New Horizon Academy on Lower Afton Road with bruises on his face. The bruises, she said, were caused by a teacher who had since been fired.
Police contacted New Horizon, whose director said Bonnette was caught on video assaulting the child and subsequently fired. The video, according to the complaint, shows the child looking "frightened" of Bonnette and running away before Bonnette is seen "lifting him in the air, while repeatedly smacking him in the face."
New Horizon's director of licensing told police Bonnette "claimed to have simply used a blanket to cover a child's mouth for spitting," the complaint states.
"Safety is our number-one priority. This employee grossly violated our safety standards and did not comply with our strict professional protocols," New Horizon said in a statement to WCCO. "We worked closely with the family to address their concerns and stabilize the situation for them and their child, who remains at our school. The incident was immediately identified and the employee was removed and terminated. Internal and external investigations are underway."
New Horizon's director also told police the abuse was reported to state licensing authorities.
To report concerns about child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse, the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families recommends contacting the county or Tribal Nation where the child lives. You can find a list of Minnesota's county and tribal child protection agencies by clicking here. If there is an immediate concern of harm to the child, the agency recommends calling 911.
