A West Melbourne daycare worker is out of a job and facing criminal charges after surveillance cameras, according to police, captured her striking toddlers with a metal stapler, a shoe, and other objects. Investigators say several children between the ages of 2 and 4 were involved, and that the incidents unfolded over multiple days in May. The worker, identified in booking records as Latasha Deniese Mullings, was arrested and booked into the Brevard County Jail on misdemeanor counts.
Surveillance footage shows repeated strikes
Detectives say classroom video from May 19 through May 26 shows Mullings striking five different students on 11 separate occasions. According to the arrest affidavit, she is seen flicking children in the face, slapping one child three times, and hitting another child’s head with a metal stapler. Investigators also allege she threw a shoe that missed, then at another point grabbed a child by the shirt and yelled in the child’s face. Several children appeared to be in visible pain after the encounters, according to the affidavit as reported by Law&Crime.
How the school and parents say they responded
Police say the investigation began when a parent reported that a child had been flicked in the face. On May 27, the daycare director reviewed surveillance footage, then contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families and the West Melbourne Police Department, according to investigators. Mustard Seed Kidz says it immediately removed the employee from contact with children and is cooperating with law enforcement while also reviewing internal policies and staff training, according to reporting by WKMG/ClickOrlando.
Charges, bond and scheduled court date
West Melbourne police charged Mullings with 11 counts of misdemeanor battery and one count of misdemeanor assault with intent to do violence. She was arrested on May 29 and booked into the Brevard County Jail. Reports indicate she has posted bond, cited at $37,000, and that a court appearance is scheduled for June 23. Some earlier coverage noted that no hearing had yet been set while prosecutors reviewed the case, according to Florida Today.
Licensing and oversight questions
The Florida Department of Children and Families has been notified and is working with West Melbourne police on the review. Public licensing listings show Mustard Seed Kidz operates under license C18BR0283, and inspection aggregators flag multiple noncompliance entries in recent years. However, those items do not address the current criminal allegations, according to CareLookup.
What happens next
Police say the investigation is ongoing while prosecutors and child welfare officials review the videos and witness statements. Prosecutors will decide whether to seek any additional charges after that review. The case has parents at the center demanding answers. It has renewed scrutiny on staff training and day-to-day supervision at small childcare facilities, according to local reporting by Space Coast Daily.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the West Melbourne Police Department. Mullings is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
