A 60-year-old Vidor woman who worked at a daycare on Interstate 10 was arrested on a charge of injury to a child after police responded to a report of an injured child at the facility. Paula Marie Nero-Hartley was booked into the Orange County Jail on Oct. 12 and has since posted bond, according to local reports.
The case began on Oct. 8, when Vidor police officers were dispatched to Seeds of Hope Learning Center, located in the 21800 block of Interstate 10, to investigate a report of an injured child, according to Beaumont Enterprise. Officers interviewed witnesses at the scene as part of their inquiry, the outlet reported. The Orange County District Attorney's Office worked with Vidor police to secure an arrest warrant for Nero-Hartley, as reported by Orange Leader.
What We Know — and What Remains Unclear
Investigators have not disclosed the specific nature or severity of the child's injury, per 12News Now. Nero-Hartley was taken to the Orange County Jail following her arrest and has since bonded out, the station reported. The criminal case remains under investigation as it moves through the legal process.
Seeds of Hope Learning Center issued a statement after the arrest emphasizing its commitment to child safety while also asking for due process on behalf of the employee, 12News Now reported. The faith-based facility declined to offer specific comments, citing the privacy of the child and family involved, and urged the public to avoid speculation while the matter unfolds, per the same report.
How Texas Law Defines the Charge
Nero-Hartley faces a third-degree felony charge of injury to a child.
The allegations against Nero-Hartley remain allegations as the investigation continues.
