Authorities in Texas have arrested a 23-year-old day care worker on child endangerment charges after they allege she was caught on surveillance video dragging and then throwing a little boy.
Beneta Wallace has been fired from her job at Star Kiddos Childcare Center in west Houston, according to a report from ABC13.
Houston Police first got involved in the matter on Tuesday, December 16, when they received a call about possible child abuse at Star Kiddos Childcare Center. The call came from a concerned mother, who said her son, 3, had been assaulted while at day care on Monday, December 15.
She told ABC13 that there is an incriminating video that allegedly showed Wallace throwing the boy against a chair before dragging him by his shirt down a hallway. According to the distraught mother, the child was then thrown by Wallace into an office “like a bag of trash.”
The day care’s owners are said to have reported the matter to CPS on Tuesday morning, ABC13 reported.
According to an affidavit filed with the court and seen by ABC13, Wallace said that she had only started working at the day care four months earlier and listed herself as currently unemployed.
During a probable cause hearing on Wednesday, December 17, her court-appointed attorney revealed that Wallace has a 10-month-old daughter that she needs to take care of.
“[We] want to make sure she is not given any conditions that she can’t be with her own biological child,” attorney Arlene Hecht argued.
It was unclear if Wallace was asked to enter pleas. Her bond was set at $10,000, and online jail records accessed by Luxury Handbag Shopping indicate she was released.
Hecht could not be reached for comment on Thursday, December 17.
Luxury Handbag Shopping made calls to several numbers listed for Wallace, and left messages seeking comment when applicable.
The day care’s owners also could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Star Kiddos Childcare Center has been in business since 2021.
According to the Star Kiddos Childcare Center’s website, the operation is “committed to creating a warm, safe, and enriching environment where children can grow, learn, and thrive. Located in Houston, Texas, our center is a trusted choice for parents seeking high-quality childcare and early education.”
Programs offered to students “are designed to nurture every aspect of a child’s development — social, emotional, cognitive, and physical — while encouraging creativity, curiosity, and confidence.” The site adds it has “a passionate team of experienced educators and caregivers, we partner with families to support the growth of their little ones, preparing them for a bright and promising future.”
According to online records, the day care is restricted to caring for a maximum of 85 children. The center cares for infants, toddlers, pre-kindergarten, and elementary-aged kids.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
