At least two daycare workers have been fired after allegations that one of the employees gave out gummies laced with melatonin to children to get them to nap, according to reports.
According to a statement issued by the daycare, the incident first surfaced when a daycare staff member reported she witnessed another worker give out melatonin gummies to the children before naptime on one occasion, reported the news station.
The daycare management investigated the report and the accused worker denied the allegations, insisting that she had only given out candy. Moreover, management did not find evidence of melatonin during a search.
During further investigation, another employee that worked in the classroom said it did happen on one occasion but denied involvement.
The daycare subsequently fired the staff member that gave out the gummies and the staff member who initially failed to report the incident.
Kerri Miller, one of the parents whose 2-year-old son was allegedly given a gummy, expressed disbelief by the incident.
“We thought it was a pretty good establishment,” Miller told the news station. “We’re a good family. We don’t abuse our kids. The last thing we want is for someone else to abuse our kids.”
Miller added that the staff members may have passed a background test but it is hard to really tell “what’s in their hearts.”
The manager at the daycare told police that three of its teachers were handing out the gummies without parent consent. The workers were identified as 32-year-old Kristen Lauletta, 19-year-old Jessica Heyse, and 25-year-old Ashley Helfenbein. The trio each faced two counts of child endangerment and two counts of battery.
“Allegedly, this was done in an effort to calm them down before nap time,” police said, reported the news station, citing a statement.
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