Viral video showing Henderson teacher appearing to grab child sparks investigation
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A video that went viral over the weekend showing a teacher at a daycare center in Henderson appearing to grab a child has sparked a police investigation.
“I had no idea what I was walking into when I was first going to look at this video, and after I saw it, I knew right away that is what I consider to be child abuse,” Kayla Zomerdyk said.
Her 3-year-old daughter Lilly Royal has attended DJ’s Christian Preschool/Daycare for the last three years. Zomerdyk said the incident happened Friday morning at the daycare, which is located on Arroyo Grande Boulevard and Horizon Ridge Parkway. She said she was notified about the incident later in the afternoon after another teacher in the class reported the incident to Henderson police.
Nashawn Royal, Lilly’s father, picked her up that day.
“Obviously seeing my child get snatched up like a little ragdoll is obviously something you don’t want to see. It’s definitely going to make you upset,” Royal said.
Royal said he felt betrayed staff didn’t immediately tell him and he had to hear it from Lilly’s mother hours later.
The parents said they have not yet received an apology from the daycare center.
“They had the opportunity to be honest, upfront. Be accountable for everything that happened that day and prior, so they let that opportunity go,” Royal said.
The Henderson Police Department confirmed to 8 News Now that it is investigating the incident but declined to comment on the incident any further.
When reached by phone, the director for DJ’s Christian Daycare told 8 News Now that the teacher, who’d been an employee there for four years, had been fired.
“So firing the teacher for me is not justice, because they never fired the teacher until the video went viral,” Zomerdyk said. “Justice for me is DJ’s Christian Center getting completely shut down.”
DJ’s Christian Daycare claims what happened in the video was not child abuse. When 8 News Now further questioned the former teacher’s actions, the director said “We’re all human.”
8 News Now is not identifying the teacher since they have not been arrested or charged.
As for Lilly’s parents, they say they’ve also reported this incident to child protective services.
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