UNNAMED BOY and GIRL - 3 yo (8/2014)/ Accused: Stepping Stone Daycare workers - Columbus OH

10 Investigates: Teachers Caught Recording, Condoning Children To Fight At Columbus Day Care

By Nathan Baca
Tuesday August 26, 2014 4:11 PM
UPDATED: Tuesday August 26, 2014 7:46 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A local day care says two of its teachers have been caught on camera “recording and condoning children fighting. “

Management at the Stepping Stones Daycare Center on Freeway Drive North in north Columbus found out about the video on Monday. They reviewed security camera footage and confirmed the two teachers were not only recording the children fighting, but also condoning the violence.

The video provided by Stepping Stones Daycare Center shows what appears to be a fight between two toddlers.  Management says this video was shot by one of their employees.

Adult voices can be heard off camera, appearing to taunt the children.

Security camera video - also provided by management at Stepping S

Management says a three-year-old boy attacks a three-year-old girl.  Two adults both appear to bring out their cell phones instead of stopping the fight - which continues for minutes.

One woman appears to get up, but apparently only to get her cell phone closer to the fight.  The violence only appears to stop when the boy walks away.

Management says the girl ended up with scratches.

Stepping Stone Daycare center gave 10TV a tour of their location and says both teachers were fired Monday.  A statement from the day care adds both teachers were no longer employed at the center as of August 4th due to another incident.

"We contacted the parents, of course. Both teachers that we caught doing this were both terminated, so they no longer work here.  We reported it to licensing, so they were aware of everything that was happening as well," explained Victoria Carter, an assistant to the day care manager.

10 Investigates spoke to the woman who appears on the right of the video.   She says she "should have stopped the fight, but didn't want to get in the middle of it."  When asked what held her back from stopping 3-year-olds fighting, she replied, "she didn't want to get injured."

She declined an on-camera interview.

The woman on the left in the video says she "told the boy to stop fighting."  She also declined an on-camera interview, saying she was on vacation.

Job and Family Services called the video "disturbing and disappointing."  They are investigating the incident.

Family Services adds Stepping Stones Daycare did not self-report this incident despite the attorney for the day care claiming that they did report it.

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2014/08/26/columbus-ohio-teachers-caught-recording-condoning-children-to-fight-at-columbus-day-care.html