Mom claims child slapped at Durham daycare
DURHAM -- A mother and father are angry after they claim an employee at a daycare on Riddle Road in Durham slapped their son.
For weeks, the parents, Vernon Bullock and Rafif Jaber, said they received calls to pick up their son from Triangle Day Care Center for bad behavior and each time they would go and get him. But Wednesday was different. They said their son told them he was slapped across the face.
They called police and demanded to see the daycare's security video, which the parents said clearly shows the child being pulled and hit.
"She snatched him from the classroom," said Jaber. "I saw the camera where she is pulling him all the way to the baby room. She slams him into the chair-pulls her hand all the way back and slaps him."
Jaber reached out to ABC11 on our Facebook page, expressing her anger over what she said happened to her 5-year-old.
The daycare worker has been fired but has not been charged. State law allows teachers and parents to physically punish students as long as it doesn't leave lasting injuries. Durham police said they will not release the video of incident because it involves a minor.
After firing the worker, the daycare sent home a letter saying they do not allow teachers to physically punish students.
The parents said the letter is not enough.
"I want the teacher to be arrested and charged with assault on a minor. I want the school closed. Because I know beyond a reasonable doubt that they knew what happened," said Bullock.
The parents said they're also upset because they believe the daycare and the worker betrayed their trust.
"She said 'I didn't touch him. Why would I do that?' Looking me dead in my face," explained Bullock. "This is the person who has been taking care of my kid for over a year. I don't know if this was the first incident."
The parents are concerned about any lingering emotional effects. They also said they feel the teacher would still be employed if they had not listened to their son and demanded to see the video.
