A classroom surveillance video out of Inglewood has a neighborhood day care under intense scrutiny, after a worker at Destiny Development Center was caught on camera taking off her shoe and throwing it at a 5-year-old girl with special needs. The shoe hits the child, who is left crying. The footage has been circulating online, and the center has fired the staffers shown in the clip and contacted authorities. Families and neighbors say they want answers as state licensing officials and law enforcement dig into what happened.
What the footage shows
The video, shared on Facebook by a parent, appears to show a woman remove her shoe, wind up, and fling it across a classroom at the girl, while two other staffers stand nearby. One appears to laugh as the child cries. According to ABC7, the center's director said the footage was turned over to the state and that the program is cooperating with investigators.
Center response and staff changes
Director Danielle Williams issued a video apology and said the workers shown in the classroom were fired following an internal review. NBC Los Angeles reported that Williams said the aide told her she only meant to "scare" the child. Williams also said the center filed a licensing report after she reviewed the surveillance footage.
Family reaction
The child's mother told reporters she was "shocked and horrified" by what she saw and that she wants criminal charges pursued. Relatives say they plan to hold a press conference outside the center. In interviews with FOX 11 Los Angeles, family members questioned why no one at the center reviewed the footage sooner and why the other staffers in the room did not step in.
Regulatory oversight and how to report concerns
Williams has said the center turned the video over to state licensing. The Community Care Licensing Division, which oversees child care facilities, can investigate complaints and is required to make an unannounced visit within 10 days of receiving a report. Parents who want to file a complaint or learn more about how licensing enforcement works can contact the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division through its complaint hotline. California Department of Social Services
Legal next steps
Local detectives are reviewing the footage to determine whether the worker's actions meet the standard for criminal charges or a referral to the district attorney's office. According to ABC7, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has opened an investigation, and the family says it is pushing for accountability through both the criminal system and state licensing.
State licensing records show Destiny Development Center is a licensed facility and that its inspection history is publicly available. Parents can look up reports for the facility using its license number. This story will be updated as officials and the center release new information.
