A Colorado nanny was caught on camera hitting and swearing at children in her care thanks to a security camera set up by the worried mother.
One of her sons told her that he was being hit in a way that she “wouldn’t like.”
“They won’t talk. They’re scared. They won’t talk in front of her,” Cruz told the news outlet. “Obviously, something’s going wrong.”
Neighbors also told the young mother that they heard troubling noises coming from the household, prompting her to finally take an extraordinary step to find out for herself what was going on.
“I went and bought a camera right away,” she wrote. When she reviewed the recording, she said she was disturbed by what she saw.
“Go to the corner! I’m done with it!” the woman in the video can be heard shouting after shoving one of the children.
“Get your [expletive] over there and stay there!” the nanny yells.
‘Every Parent’s Nightmare’
Sharing the footage on Facebook, Cruz wrote, “This is every parent’s nightmare, trusting someone to learn they’ve betrayed you and hurt not only their child but your own.”“I was honestly scared to even say something at first,” wrote Cruz, “but after speaking with the cops and the other parents of the children in this video we all agree we don’t want any other children or animals being harmed.”
“I felt compelled to share this for the safety of other children and prevent other parents to feel the pain I’ve felt,” said Cruz as she explained why she went public with the video.
“Authorities have already been notified but please please consider doing more research on this person before hiring her,” she wrote alongside the videos, “I can’t stand the thought that she can get away with hurting children.”
“I was fuming,” she told KDVR, and added that she was told by police what was seen in the footage did not qualify as criminal charges.
Castle Rock police told the news outlet that anyone who entrusts their children to a caregiver should make sure that the person is trustworthy. Due diligence could include insisting on seeing character references from previous employers and checking for criminal history.
“Talking to her and talking to people that have known her, no one had anything negative to say,” Cruz explained to KDVR, but admitted she had not done a more thorough background check.
The nanny has reportedly been referred to Child Protective Services.