Daycare Worker Caught On Video Pushing, Dragging Toddlers, Deputies Say

Florida deputies say they have arrested a daycare worker accused of "aggressively handling" several young children.

Investigators claim Jamie Smithmyer, 26, dragged and carried three toddlers by the arms, forcefully pushing the toddlers to the floor. The owners of Manasota Beach Preschool confirm the abuse happened at their school, and they immediately fired Smithmyer.

"My blood's boiling right now," parent Ashley Emerson, who said her son had Smithmyer as a teacher, explained.

She said she noticed her son came home with marks and bruises, but assumed it was just from playing at school. Now, she wonders whether his teacher is to blame.

"They didn't let me know that my son's teacher got arrested for this," Emerson said, referring to the school.

A parent at the Venice daycare center saw Smithmyer's aggressive behavior towards the toddlers on surveillance video. She reported it to the daycare and the sheriff's office.

Thankfully, deputies say none of the toddlers suffered major injuries.

Deputies arrested her after watching the video and interviewing witnesses. When Smithmyer's boss confronted her, police say, she told her boss she was overwhelmed.

Smithmyer faces three counts of child abuse without great bodily harm and was booked at the Sarasota County Jail. She was released late Friday on a $6,000 bond, records show.

If you'd like to learn more about your kid's daycare, DCF has a searchable database on their website.