"She was dangling in the air:" Daycare worker arrested, accused of breaking 3-year-old's arm
WATERBURY, Connecticut -- A three-year-old's broken arm led to the arrest of a daycare worker in Connecticut.
60-year-old Adnelly Moipard was caught on camera dragging the girl at Kid's Town on Wolcott Street in Waterbury, Connecticut, police say.
Police said the child's mother reported the girl's arm was hanging by her side when she went to pick her up from the daycare last week.
"Just seeing her in tears, not knowing what happened to her..." said Bethany Scagnelli, the child's mother.
She said an X-ray at St. Mary's Hospital revealed a number of fractures.
"I'm shocked. Angry. Very upset," Scagnelli said.
She said a letter given to her by Kid's Town officials claimed the girl was misbehaving and that the girl hurt her arm on a bookcase, according to police.
"I feel so bad. I'm a mother and I'm a grandmother too -- and since Monday they arrest me, I can't even sleep," Moipard said.
Moipard told police that the child wasn't listening -- that she pushed another child, kicked a teacher and pulled on the bookcase. Moipard said she didn't grab the girl by the arm.
"I hold her hand to ask her to sit down. I can't break three years old arm, for what?" Moipard said.
In the recording, however, Moipard could be seen grabbing the girl's forearm, pulling her from the floor and dragging her to a chair, an arrest warrant stated.
"Ms. Moipard, in the video, is grabbing onto the juvenile victim and dragging her by the arm for a substantial distance -- and picking her up off the ground physically by her arm so her feet weren't touching. She was dangling in the air," Waterbury Police Deputy Chief Frank Spagnolo said.
Scagnelli said she recently viewed the surveillance footage.
"Ms. Nelly grabbed her and placed her on the floor real hard and that's when I believe her arm got injured," Scagnelli said.
Moipard later admitted that she didn't mean to hurt the girl, but she wasn't listening to instructions. She was charged her with third-degree assault and risk of injury to a child.
Moipard said she has never abused a child.
"I can't do that. I would never hurt a little child," Moipard said.
Scagnelli said the doctor's removed her child's cast, but said she will need physical therapy on her forearm and elbow.
Moipard, who has no prior criminal record, faced a judge and what was once a $100,000 bond was reduced to a promise to appear in court.
Moipard will be back in court on November 22nd.
The Office of Early Childhood issued a statement:
"The Office of Early Childhood Licensing Division is investigating the incident that occurred at the Kids Town early childhood program, in which a young child was injured. We take this incident very seriously. In cases where a child is alleged to have been abused or neglected, the OEC coordinates with the DCF and law enforcement officials."