A Texas daycare worker, Catherine Guziejka, 44, was arrested on October 30 and remains in custody on six counts of injury to a child with the intent to cause bodily injury. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Guziejka allegedly kicked and pushed at least six toddlers over a three-month period.
Staff at Punkin’ Doodles Day Care in Lindale, Texas, found footage of the incidents and notified investigators. The footage shows Guziejka kicking the children on 134 separate occasions between July and October. In one incident, she allegedly kicked a 2-year-old boy in his lower back while he was lying on the floor. Many of the videos showed Guziejka coming from behind and kicking the children in the back while they were watching TV.
Guziejka was also seen walking around as the children napped and aggressively adjusting them or moving them. Toddlers were pulled from their beds during naptime and dragged by their arms to a changing table. The videos show her laying kids on the changing table aggressively, pushing their heads down and forcing them to face the wall as they attempted to look in the direction of the TV.
Deputies said the children were not being disruptive in the videos before Guziejka appeared to assault them, and she was not seen attempting to console or comfort the children. The sheriff’s office said it was apparent that Guziejka’s actions were random, intentional, unprovoked, violent in nature, and done for the sole intent of inflicting pain.
Guziejka was fired from the daycare the day the owner learned of the abuse against the children and has since been banned from working at any daycare, hospital, nursing home, or facility that cares for vulnerable people. The daycare has since been sold to a new owner.