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yesterday

Indiana Orders Emergency Closure of Gary Daycare Over Teacher’s Video-Captured Abuse

Regulators cited video evidence of physical and verbal mistreatment of preschoolers during jail calls

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A teacher at a Gary, Indiana, day care is accused of abusing children while on video calls with a jail inmate, officials say.

Overview

  • The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration issued an emergency shutdown of Future Leaders Childcare Ministries after jail monitoring revealed a teacher abusing children during video calls.
  • Laniecia Smith, 31, is charged with five counts of neglect of a dependent and five counts of battery on a person under 14 for incidents recorded between June 23 and June 27.
  • Investigators have identified five victims aged 3 and 4, including an autistic child allegedly struck with a broom, grabbed by the ear and smacked in the head.
  • Smith posted a $3,000 cash bond and is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan on July 30.
  • State regulators have launched a broader probe into the daycare’s operator, which runs three Gary locations, raising questions about oversight in private childcare.