An Ocala daycare worker has been arrested on charges of abuse against infants in her care. Karla L. Penalverty-Gonzalez, 33, is accused of multiple instances of mistreatment of children aged between 4 and 9 months over a span from March to July 2025, at the All Stars Learning Academy. ClickOrlando reported that the Ocala Police Department has identified at least six victims of abuse.
Penalverty-Gonzalez, who had started working at the daycare in July 2024, faced incidents reported to supervisors that were not addressed promptly. Wrongfully handled, according to the police report, the police charged her with multiple counts of child abuse without great bodily harm and one count of resisting an officer without violence. On being taken into custody, "Several instances of physical harm to the children were alleged, including rough handling, forced feeding, violent shaking, and near suffocation," as noted in a press release obtained by ClickOrlando.
The arrest followed the release of video evidence provided by an employee at the daycare, which depicted at least one incident where a child was abused. WESH stated that Penalverty-Gonzalez actively resisted during her arrest but was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail. She was initially held on a total bond of $20,500.
With an ongoing investigation by the Ocala Police, officials are urging anyone with additional information or who may have witnessed further related incidents to contact Detective Pfeifer at 352-369-7000.
