The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A Florida daycare worker was accused of failing to properly supervise a young child who reportedly left a playground area and ran into traffic on a busy highway.
According to authorities, drivers began calling law enforcement shortly after 11 a.m. after spotting a young boy running across a highway. Several motorists reportedly stopped to help and were able to get the child to safety before returning him to the daycare. The child was not injured.
During the investigation, the employee allegedly acknowledged that she was responsible for supervising the child at the time of the incident. Authorities said she explained that she normally checked to make sure a playground gate was secured before children went outside, but she did not do so that day.
The worker reportedly told investigators that the last time she saw the child was near a playground slide before she turned her attention to another upset child. She estimated that she lost sight of him for about two minutes.
Authorities said the employee initially claimed the child was discovered near the front entrance and that she caught up with him almost immediately after he left the playground area. However, investigators reportedly gathered statements from multiple witnesses who said they saw the child run across the highway. Those accounts suggested the child had been unsupervised for longer.
The employee also reportedly stated that a supervisor instructed her to provide inaccurate information about what happened because of concerns that the daycare could be shut down. She additionally claimed the gate had been locked and suggested the child may have gone underneath it.
The worker, who had reportedly been employed at the daycare since late 2024, was later arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm. She was booked into jail and later posted a $2,500 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.