[Stardust]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/201...news|text|

LUDLOW — A day care worker has been charged with taping a toddler to a mat during nap time.

Alicia Lyons, 20, was arrested Wednesday night and charged with first-degree criminal abuse. She was released from the Kenton County jail Thursday morning.

Ludlow police chief Wayne Turner said the parent of a toddler who attended Mustard Seeds Child Care, at 318 Oak St., told police Wednesday that their child was taped to a mat. The incident at the end of October when the toddler was about 18 months old, Turner said.

According to the incident report, “Lyons and another worker duct taped a child to a sleeping mat in order to get him to go to sleep.”

The report also states that Lyons that admitted in an interview to “taping the child to a mat to get him to calm down.”

After learning about the alleged offense, police notified the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Turner said.

Lyons was fired from the day care center Thursday, Turner said. In her application for a public defender, Lyons said she made $8 an hour at the day care and had worked there for about five months.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders said that the investigation is continuing.

“Additional charges against this defendant and possibly other suspects have not been ruled out,” Sanders said.

In a statement released through spokesman Pat Crowley, the center said it is cooperating with police and state officials.

“This is an unfortunate, yet isolated incident,” the statement said. “Management of the day care facility said that such an act violates the company’s written policy and training procedures. The company is now purchasing video camera equipment for all three of its locations to prevent such acts in the future.”

The statement also said the Lyons passed all state background checks when she was hired in August.

The day care center also reported the incident to the Kentucky Office of the Inspector General, the state office in charge of regulating day care facilities.

The center has one complaint within the last year, according to the office. In November, a surveyor conducting a complaint investigation discovered that there were too many 3- to 4-year-olds for one teacher. The surveyor observed 15 children with one teacher. The limit is 12 children.

The day care center, which has been in business for three years, accepts children from six weeks to 12 years, according to its website. It also has locations in Covington and Florence.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/201...news|text|