A childcare worker at a Bethlehem church daycare was arrested and fired after a parent noticed a bruise on a 2-year-old boy's arm and alerted deputies to suspected abuse. Holly Marie Payne, 36, of Taylorsville, was charged with misdemeanor assault on a child under 12 following an investigation by the Alexander County Sheriff's Office.
Payne worked at the Mt. Bethel Methodist Church Child Development Center in Bethlehem, a facility that serves around 30 kids, according to wsoctv.com. The outlet reports that a parent went to the sheriff's office after noticing the bruise, and that the center has cameras in each of its classrooms. Deputies seized video from the daycare as part of their investigation, though it has not been confirmed what, if anything, that footage shows of the alleged incident.
An arrest warrant alleges that on October 1, Payne grabbed the 2-year-old boy by the arm and flipped him “aggressively onto a cot during nap time,” per the same account from qcnews.com. The Alexander County Sheriff's Office received the initial report of alleged child abuse at the center on October 10, according to taylorsvilletimes.com.
Arrest Follows Eleven-Day Investigation
Deputies arrested and charged Payne on October 21, following the investigation into the report, according to the Taylorsville Times. She was booked into the Alexander County Detention Center on a $10,000 secured bond, and has since posted bond, the outlet notes. Her first court appearance is scheduled for November 23.
Court documents also bar Payne from contacting the alleged victim, his family, or any child under 12 who isn't a relative, per qcnews.com's reporting. The WCCB Charlotte report said Payne had been charged; WSOC reported that she was fired from her position following the arrest.
State Inspectors Had Flagged Prior Violations
Queen City News reported that the child development center was found in violation last month by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for employees not completing required training and certification. State records also identified one employee without an up-to-date background check, though those issues were reportedly addressed a few days later during a follow-up NCDHHS visit.
