Child’s Caretaker Charged With Abuse In Anne Arundel County: Report

MILLERSVILLE, MD — A former employee at a Millersville daycare was recently charged with abusing and assaulting a toddler in her care, WBAL reported. The TV station identified the suspect as Shannon Smith, a 32-year-old who worked at the Kiddie Academy of Millersville.

Court records show that Smith faces:

• One count of second-degree abuse of a child in her custody (Felony)
• One count of second-degree assault (Misdemeanor)

The Millersville woman is on no-bond house arrest, The Capital reported. The newspaper also said Smith was fired.

The charges revolve around a Dec. 6 incident when a 2-year-old boy did not want to take a nap. Smith is accused of dragging the screaming child by his arm and repeatedly slamming him onto the cot. WBAL reported Friday that witnesses said the toddler "had two bruises on his forehead, a mark on his cheek and blood underneath his nose and smeared on the side of his face."

The Maryland State Department of Education suspended the daycare's license, WBAL said. The owner is appealing that decision, saying "a staff member acted in a manner contrary to operational procedures and our core values."

The Kiddie Academy of Millersville is located at 8198 Old Jumpers Hole Road.

To see the complete description of the encounter, read the full stories from WBAL and The Capital.

This map shows the location where the reports allege that the incident happened.