Authorities say a Flowery Branch daycare worker is behind bars after a 3-year-old in her care ended up injured and later treated for a nursemaid’s elbow.
Susana Beatriz Mendoza Sandin, 61, who worked at Winnford Academy’s Flowery Branch center, is accused of injuring the child and now faces aggravated battery and second-degree child cruelty charges, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
WSB-TV reports that investigators say Mendoza Sandin, of Buford, was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Hall County Jail on counts of aggravated battery and second-degree child cruelty. According to the station, the case started after the child’s parents were told by the daycare on April 9 that their child had been hurt. The parents filed an official report the next day, April 10, and the child was treated at an urgent care clinic. Mendoza Sandin remains in custody on a $9,200 bond, and the sheriff’s office says the case is still under investigation.
Surveillance Footage Contradicts the Center’s First Explanation
Investigators say the daycare’s own security cameras told a different story than the initial explanation parents heard.
According to WSB-TV, video from the outdoor play area shows Mendoza Sandin “picked the child up by the wrist, jerked the child's arm, carried them, and then dropped the child onto the ground.” Detectives interviewed Mendoza Sandin after reviewing the footage, then took her into custody. Authorities have not named any additional suspects in connection with the incident.
What the Charges Mean
Mendoza Sandin is charged with aggravated battery and second-degree cruelty to children, both serious felonies under Georgia law.
State law says a person commits second-degree cruelty to children “when such person with criminal negligence causes a child under the age of 18 cruel or excessive physical or mental pain.” That crime carries a potential prison sentence of one to ten years, according to OCGA § 16-5-70.
Aggravated battery is defined in OCGA § 16-5-24 as maliciously causing serious bodily harm, such as rendering a limb useless or seriously disfiguring another person. It is a felony that generally carries a one to twenty year prison term if convicted.
State Oversight and Recent Local Cases
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is the state agency that licenses child care providers, investigates complaints, and lays out what happens when centers are cited for violations.
When criminal allegations surface at a daycare, it often triggers both a police investigation and a separate look at the facility’s license. For example, FOX 5 Atlanta reported on a 2025 Cobb County case where a daycare worker was arrested after a toddler tested positive for THC, leading to criminal charges and a review by state regulators.
Where the Case Stands Now
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office says its probe into the Flowery Branch incident is active, and prosecutors have not yet announced any court dates for Mendoza Sandin.
Winnford Academy lists its Flowery Branch location at 5796 Hog Mountain Rd. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office posts general inmate and jail information on its website, and authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the sheriff’s office.
