Day care worker charged with assaulting children under her care, Lexington police say
A woman who worked at a day care facility in Lexington is facing multiple charges of assaulting children, police said Monday.
Breanna Marie Audette was arrested on July 15 and charged with 14 counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, the Lexington Police Department said in a news release.
The 23-year-old Irmo resident is accused of assaulting children who were in her care at Harvest Daycare, according to the release. That’s on Whiteford Way, near Sunset Boulevard.
The investigation began on July 12, after the administrator at Harvest Daycare reported the abuse, police said.
Security footage recorded at the day care showed Audette assaulting several children by grabbing them aggressively by the arm, neck, and face, and in one incident, she pushed a child to the ground, according to the release.
Information on the conditions of the children was not available.
Audette was taken to the Lexington County Detention Center and was released after her bond was set at $14,000, police said.
If convicted, the maximum sentence for each felony unlawful conduct toward a child charge is 10 years in prison, according to South Carolina law.
Harvest Daycare administrators have cooperated throughout the investigation, police said.
Harvest Daycare is a full-time day care opportunity for children from 6-weeks-old through 5-years-old, according to the day care’s website.
“At Harvest, we believe that the Bible and Christian values are the foundation for happy and fulfilled people and families,” the day care website says. “That is certainly true when it comes to children as well. That’s why the Harvest Daycare offers not only a safe place for your children to grow, but also a Christian environment where Biblical values can be taught.”
In addition to police, the assaults have also been investigated by the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
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This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 12:49 PM.
