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CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) Two families have filed complaints with Kanawha County Circuit Court against Cross Lanes Child Care and Learning Center, alleging abuse of underage children by a daycare worker.
In the lawsuits, which were filed Wednesday afternoon, plaintiffs describe physical and verbal abuse by Jacklyn Williams.
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In one complaint, the parents of a 2-year-old (we’ll call them “HM”) say a former employee of the Cross Lanes Child Care and Learning Center recorded a sound coming from inside the classroom in which Jacklyn Williams could be heard screaming at toddlers. She allegedly used another child’s hand to pull HM’s hair during this incident and slapped HM on another occasion.
The complaint goes on to say that there are several audio recordings of Williams’ behavior and that in one of them she can be heard during snack time saying, “You told me no, so you have a snack last. ” and “I don’t like it when kids tell me no.” and “You are the last!” You have to wait! ”While listening to a baby cry.
The same colleague who recorded those audio recordings was also said to have witnessed physical abuse by Williams, including dragging HM down the hallway by the wrists and grabbing her by the arms and pulling her to the ground. This colleague reported the incidents to the director of the daycare, Amy Williams, who did not investigate or intervene.
In the other complaint, the parents of another 2-year-old (we’ll call them “GB”) say that Jacklyn Williams physically and verbally assaulted the child. They allege that during an incident on the playground, Williams pushed GB to the ground and “forcefully grabbed her face and neck and screamed at the baby’s face.” This incident was videotaped by another former employee.
When Amy Williams discovered this video footage of the playground incident, she allegedly told the employee who had made the tapes, “Don’t you know we’re all going to be fired because of this?” And “We will never be able to work with the elderly or children again.” and “Jackie (Williams) could face jail time and lose her baby.”
Amy Williams also allegedly called a staff meeting and threatened to fire anyone who did not remove video footage of the abuse. She also reportedly threatened to report all workers to child protection services if they did not remove the footage.
As a result of these recordings, the daycare adopted a “no cell phone” policy, which required employees to leave their phones in Williams’ office. The daycare is also said to have started locking the upper sections of classroom doors so that parents or workers can no longer see into the bedrooms.
Abuse would have been reported to Amy Williams about 40 times by a single employee, and Williams would say, “I’ll take care of it” and then do nothing.
The same colleague who made the audio recordings of the alleged abuse of the first child ended up anonymously reporting GB’s abuse to DHHR.
The lawsuits claim the daycare failed to properly screen, train and supervise Jacklyn Williams and Amy Williams. They claim that the daycare and its employees owed a duty of care to these children and that their failure to do so amounted to negligence. Both lawsuits will seek damages for “permanent psychological injuries” and both plaintiffs are demanding jury trials.
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