Oct 15, 2008 10:10 am US/Eastern
Texas Daycare Worker Admits To Biting Child
ATHENS, Texas (CBS) ―
The parents of a 17-month-old boy are angry and demanding answers after a Texas daycare worker allegedly bit their child on the arm. The parents have the pictures to support their claims and they showed them to CBS station KTVT-TV in Dallas.
The incident happened at Appletree Academy in the 200 block of South Prairieville Street in Athens.
Lindsey Reynolds, the mother of little Wyatt Lane Reynolds Hall, says when she went to pick her son up form daycare Monday afternoon she was upset to find a bite mark on his arm, and even more upset about the daycare's explanation for the injury.
By all appearances Wyatt is an active, adventurous child, who is eager to play and even more eager to explore. Yet, despite the smiles, Wyatt has also become a victim. "You can see it's [the bite mark] a woman," Lindsey explained pointing to her sons injury. "It's a big mouth - not a child's."
The 17-month-old bears a bite mark on his arm admittedly left by a daycare worker. "I was in shock yesterday. I had to walk out," Lindsey said.
Bonita Stout, 54, is a daycare worker at the Appletree Academy in Athens. "She said 'I bit him'. I said why and she said 'because he bit the other kids'. And I was like –- 'oh, my gosh!'", Lindsey recalled.
Lindsey says Stout was unapologetic and even defended her action as a form of discipline. Wyatt's father, Bobby Hall, says the action can't be justified. "You don't hurt them. They're just children. They don't know any better right now," he said.
According to Lt. Bill Gurley, with the Athens Police Department, officials went to the daycare center after receiving a call from the child's parents.
When officers arrived they saw a visible bite mark on the child. Stout was questioned about the injury and told police that the boy had been biting other children and she bit him as punishment. Officers immediately took Stout into custody, transporting her to the Henderson County Jail.
Stout remains in jail and the owner of Appletree Academy says she has also been fired. "I'm just glad she's in jail," Bobby said. "I hope she doesn't work in a daycare again."
Stout is charged with Injury to a Child. Meanwhile, the family says they're now looking for legal representation.
Athens is about 22 miles southeast of Dallas.
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