A daycare worker has been arrested and charged in connection with a young child being choked and assaulted in Niagara Falls, police say.
Detectives launched an investigation Sept. 13 into the “serious assault” of a child under the age of five while in the care of Way To Grow Daycare, the Niagara Regional Police Service said in a press release.
Employee Matthew Maxwell, 26, of St. Catharines was arrested and charged with aggravated assault Sept. 17 after investigators with the Niagara police child abuse unit found a young child had “sustained injuries” as a result of the incident.
The suspect was held in custody pending a Sept. 18 bail hearing at the St. Catharines’ courthouse. Maxwell was denied bail and remains in police custody, Const. Jesse Vujasic told The Epoch Times.
Maxwell previously worked at Niagara Nursery School & Child Care Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake where “detectives have reason to believe there may be more victims,” police said.
“Any further victims remains under investigation by our detectives with the Child Abuse Unit with the Niagara Regional Police Service,” Const. Vujasic said.
The Epoch Times contacted the daycare centres where Maxwell has worked but neither child care facility responded to requests for comment prior to publication.
The Ontario Ministry of Education has a registry that allows parents to check daycare centres for child care violations. The search tool provides verified violations dating back to January 2012.
A search by The Epoch Times revealed no violations at either of the daycare centres the suspect was known to work at.
Licensed child care centres in Ontario are government-regulated and inspected, according to the education ministry’s website. All sites must meet certain standards of care and hire “qualified educators.”
The ministry said it inspects child care centres at least once each year to ensure they meet specific provincial health, safety, and program standards.
