The shocking evidence shows that a daycare worker at Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, Georgia, severely abused a new one-year-old enrollee on his first day of work.
He added, echoing the horror, “The shocking footage, which the boy’s father, U.S. Marine Cory Weeks, viewed alongside public safety officers, was not for the faint-hearted.” Authorities charged 54-year-old Yvette Thurston with three counts of first-degree child abuse and one count of first-degree aggravated violence after the camera footage proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Weeks posted eerie pictures of his toddler son Clay with scrapes, swelling, and a black eye—a holy reminder of the agony that occurred on what should have been a happy occasion—his first day of daycare.
At first, the family was informed that the damage might have been committed by another child—and with a plastic toy, at that. However, it became evident to Weeks after seeing the film that the explanation was unconvincing.
Weeks’ Facebook post, “This person is in custody due to the evidence through video surveillance that I myself wrote,” sparked a social media frenzy. “Nothing we saw was for the faint-hearted, especially happening to such an innocent soul,” Weeks added. When he smashed the daycare, emotions ran high. We trusted this institution to love and care for our children, and on their FIRST DAY, that trust was violated. There will be further consequences from this, and we will make sure that nothing is ignored.
He went on to say that our two boys, Wyatt (3) and Clay (1), were attending Little Blessings (a church childcare facility) for the first time on Monday. I will not elaborate on the situation at this time; instead, I will let our baby boy’s photo speak for itself. Once more, it was his first day! We have experienced and continue to experience this, which is every parent’s worst nightmare. Both the pastor and the individual in detention for the heinous deeds she committed found it inconvenient to be questioned about the occurrence while watching the video. We were informed that another student in Clay’s class used a plastic toy to cause this kind of harm. The evidence from the video surveillance that I and other BPS members witnessed and went through has put this person in custody. Nothing that happened to such a helpless soul was for the faint of heart.
Trust has been formally destroyed when Thurston bonded out over the weekend on a $44,000 bond. According to reports, the bond judgment has resulted in death threats for the case’s judge.
In response to the alarming claims at the church-affiliated daycare, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, or DECAL, is taking over, working closely with law enforcement and initiating its own investigation.
Meanwhile, there is a high level of civility. Weeks, like many others in his position, will not tolerate this. The family is now completely focused on obtaining justice and a safer future for other kids after what should have been a safe, nurturing environment for young Clay became a daily hell.
This instance serves as a sobering reminder that being vigilant is essential, particularly when it comes to the most vulnerable. Little Blessings Child Care’s worst moment has turned into a call to action for accountability, with a father’s anguish being shared publicly, legal charges being brought against him, and a public uproar echoing around the internet.
Will there be responsibility, or will this story serve as a warning to the family to ensure that no parent or child ever experiences the same kind of unspoken and unseen suffering? Weeks and Clay’s battle for justice is just getting started, and the inquiry is still ongoing.
