A 24-year-old employee at a Pittsboro daycare has been arrested and charged with seven misdemeanor counts of child abuse after police say she physically mistreated a child in her care. Violetta Wolovich worked at Amazing Explorers Academy, a childcare center inside the Chatham Park development, when the alleged incidents occurred.
Pittsboro Police Chief Clarence Johnson confirmed the department is investigating a physical assault on a child at the facility, according to WRAL. Johnson emphasized that the investigation is focused specifically on Wolovich rather than the daycare's operations as a whole, the outlet reported.
According to the station's report, Wolovich allegedly slammed a child's head down onto a sleeping mat in an attempt to force the child to go to sleep. She is also accused of slapping a child aggressively on the back for the same purpose, and of grabbing a child's legs in a manner that caused the child to fall face-first. Those allegations form the basis of the seven misdemeanor counts now filed against her.
What North Carolina Law Says About the Charges
Under North Carolina General Statute § 14-318.2, misdemeanor child abuse is classified as a Class A1 misdemeanor, the state's highest misdemeanor level. The law applies to parents or caregivers who inflict physical injury or create a substantial risk of injury to a minor, and it carries a maximum penalty of up to 150 days in jail per count, along with discretionary court fines. With seven separate counts filed, Wolovich faces the possibility of significant cumulative exposure under the statute.
Childcare workers in North Carolina are also subject to strict vetting rules before they're ever allowed into a classroom. State law and NC Division of Child Development and Early Education rules require fingerprint-based state and federal background checks, along with a formal DCDEE qualification letter, before an employee can begin work. Those qualifications must be renewed every five years through the state's automated system.
Parent Reaction and Daycare Response
Joanna Anderson declined to comment on the investigation when asked, per the WRAL report. Amazing Explorers Academy did notify families about the matter and spoke with those who needed to be informed, the outlet noted, though the company did not immediately respond to a request about whether Wolovich had been dismissed or what her current job status is.
One parent, who was not named, told WRAL they were surprised by the accusations, noting that Wolovich had actually been listed on their own pickup list as a babysitter for their child. That detail underscores how closely some families had come to trust her outside of her role at the daycare itself.
Inside Chatham Park's Growing Childcare Hub
Amazing Explorers Academy Chatham Park sits at 15 Paddles Way in Pittsboro and opened in early 2024, serving children from six weeks to 12 years old under a STEAM-focused curriculum, according to Chatham Park. The center is part of a national franchise operating more than 25 locations across North Carolina, Florida, Texas, New York and Tennessee, per the company's own materials.
The Pittsboro location operates within Chatham Park, an 8,500-acre master-planned development. The community will feature schools.
Not the Franchise's First Brush With Scandal
This isn't the first time an Amazing Explorers Academy employee has faced serious criminal allegations. In April 2026, a federal judge sentenced a former pre-K teacher at the franchise's Ponte Vedra, Florida location to 10 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor online, following his arrest in August 2025, according to Action News Jax. Hoodline previously reported on the plea in that case. The daycare told reporters that no enrolled child was connected to the investigation.
As the Pittsboro case moves forward, it remains unclear how Amazing Explorers Academy will handle Wolovich's employment status.
