Day Care Worker Arrested After She's Caught on Camera Pushing Child, 4, Down Stairs: Cops
A Pennsylvania day care worker was arrested after she allegedly pushed a young girl down a flight of stairs, an act that was caught on a security camera installed a half hour before the incident, officials said.
Sarah Gable can allegedly be seen approaching the 4-year-old girl from behind and shoving her down the stairs at the Child Care of the Future at about 5:15 p.m. Friday, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood told reporters.
The 52-year-old day care worker watches as the child barely makes contact with about five steps before she hits a wall and tumbles onto a landing, he said.
After following the tot down the steps and standing her up, Gable appears to realize the incident had been filmed, looking squarely at the camera before delicately leading the child down the rest of the staircase, the video shows.
The little girl suffered an injury to her knee, but was extremely shaken up and afraid to return to the day care, Chitwood said.
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"When parents give their kids to day care centers, the expectation is that their children are going to be taken care of," Chitwood said Monday.
Day care administrators watched in real time as the incident unfolded and immediately confronted Gable, fired her, and called the police, Chitwood said.
"The camera caught it all," he said, noting that had it not been for surveillance footage, it would have been the word of a 4-year-old, versus a 52-year-old.
"It’s a betrayal of trust and luckily we’re not dealing with a child who is seriously injured," he said of the incident.
Read: Toddler Dies Days After He Stopped Breathing During Naptime at Daycare
Gable was charged with simple assault, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child.
Police said they will seek charges of recklessly endangering another person as well.
She was freed on $25,000 secured bond, which Chitwood criticized as an amount not fitting the crime of which she is accused.
"Excuse my expression — it’s like pissing in the wind," he said. "It should’ve been more. It’s a slap on the wrist."
She is due in court on March 16, officials said.
Child Care of the Future did not return a request for comment by InsideEdition.com.
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