Viral video showed a worker wearing a "Scream" mask that terrified little kids at a Mississippi daycare. Four workers were charged with felony child abuse, while a fifth worker was charged with a misdemeanor of simple assault and failing to report abuse.
Five daycare workers face criminal charges after they were seen frightening young children with a scary mask in videos that circulated on social media earlier this month.
The incident happened at Lil' Blessings Daycare and Learning Center in Hamilton, Mississippi. Video shows preschool-aged children screaming in terror as a worker wearing a “Scream” mask yelled in their faces.
“Are you being bad? Do I need to take you outside?" the worker in the mask said.
The workers involved were fired, and the daycare has since been shut down. Four of them were charged with felony child abuse, while a fifth worker was charged with a misdemeanor of simple assault and failing to report abuse.
Jessie Reeves, a working mom of six children, says her 3-year-old daughter Jaxie is still traumatized and has been drawing pictures of the “monster.”
“And she says, ‘This is a mask, momma. This is a monster,’” Reeves said.
Katelyn Johnson’s 2-year-old son Pierce was chased around the daycare by the masked worker, as another grownup laughed and encouraged her.
“There’s no excuse for it,” Johnson said.
One of the workers involved posted a tearful apology on social media. “If I could take it back, I would,” she said.
If convicted, the workers could face jail time.
