Lutz Daycare Worker Accused of Abusing Autistic Child

LUTZ, FL — A 34-year-old Holiday woman faces child abuse charges after Pasco County deputies say she threw water into the face of a 3-year-old autistic boy at a Lutz daycare center.

Tiffany Littlepage is accused dumping water on the boy and throwing water in his face because the child was playing with her water bottle, a probable cause affidavit states. After the Dec. 29 incident, the boy began to cry, the report said, and had to be comforted by another teacher at the Children’s Nest Day School, 24170 State Road 54. The need for comfort showed “mental injury” to the child, the report said. The little boy is non-verbal, detectives noted.

When an investigation was kicked off, a classroom-aide told detectives Littlepage “targets children who are slow learners and who have disabilities by putting the children in time out and punishing the children unjustly.”

Littlepage was charged with a single count of child abuse Tuesday. Her arrest was announced Wednesday.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office