A Florida nursery worker has been arrested for allegedly mistreating a disabled child under her care, as per law enforcement officials. The disturbing incident captured on video shows the worker, identified as Kaitlyn Pitzer, 36, applying hand sanitizer to wounds on the child’s arms and teasing them by smearing icing on their face. Pitzer was promptly terminated from her position at the daycare center following the incident.
Authorities state that surveillance footage reveals Pitzer and another assistant attempting to bandage the child’s forehead while the child was seated on the floor. When the child moved, Pitzer reportedly pushed the child’s forehead forcefully, causing a violent and excessive reaction from the child, according to police reports.
Shortly after, it is alleged that Pitzer teased the child with a piece of cake, prompting the child to reach out for it and get icing on their finger. Subsequently, Pitzer is said to have taken the child’s finger and used it to smear icing on the child’s face before aggressively applying more icing from the floor to the child’s forehead.
During questioning by deputies, Pitzer admitted to finding the icing incident amusing at the time. Surveillance footage indicates Pitzer wiping the icing off the distressed child’s face with a paper towel in a forceful manner.
Following this, the nursery worker escorted the child to a hand sanitizer dispenser where she proceeded to apply sanitizer to wounds on the child’s arms. This action reportedly caused the child to become distressed and move to the other side of the classroom, according to the sheriff’s office.
The child’s parent, upon viewing the surveillance footage, expressed deep concern over the incident, particularly noting the force used by Pitzer that could have resulted in serious harm due to the child’s existing medical conditions. The parent also observed reopened injuries that were in the process of healing following the altercation.
The alleged abuse took place at Tender Care PPEC in Spring Hill, with authorities revealing that concerns had been raised by the facility’s administration regarding Pitzer’s treatment of a child during her employment.
Pitzer has been formally charged with one count of child abuse, announced the sheriff’s office. She was apprehended at her residence on October 9 and admitted to acting inappropriately out of frustration. Pitzer is currently being held at the Hernando County Detention Center on a $5,000 (£3,713) bond as the investigation continues.
