Molly Taxter: Indiana daycare worker accused of covering child's head and shoving it on to changing table
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
FISHERS, INDIANA: Fishers daycare worker Molly Taxter was arrested on Tuesday, April 25, and is charged with various felonies for allegedly touching children under her care. Taxter was brought to the Hamilton County Jail, where a $150,000 bond was set.
The parent of a child attending the Kiddie Academy Daycare on Olio Road claimed that her daughter arrived home with a handprint bruise on her leg, prompting the Fishers Police Department to open an investigation. Police were informed by the parent that she spoke with the owner of the daycare center right away. Authorities claimed that the parent and the business owner watched a video of the child's classroom that showed an employee caressing the child in an inappropriate way. The facility's owner fired Taxter, a 23-year-old Noblesville resident, after seeing the video, and on Tuesday, April 25 police made a non-confrontational arrest of her. She is charged with 19 felonies and charges of violence, according to Fox 59.
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What did the video show?
Taxter was seen on video from the daycare room "shoving [the victim’s] head into the changing table, slamming her down, as well as covering her face with a blanket," according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox 59.
Court documents revealed that Taxter entered the room while the parent and the owner of the daycare center were watching the video. She became "visibly upset" as her speech started changing, and she started to shake. The owner and parent were allegedly informed by Taxter that the girl's frequent sobbing was making her upset and angry.
Was there further child abuse that Molly Taxter was accountable for?
Taxter told the police that she had been working with children for six years and that she had become aggressive and exhausted, adding that "she should not be working with kids" and that March 15 was a "bad day."
Taxter also acknowledged to police that she grabbed the child "really hard" during the diaper change because she dislikes them and that the child was "fighting for her life" at the time, according to FOX 59. Investigators watched footage shot between March 6 and March 15. Police claimed that Taxter acted aggressively against several children in the video.
Taxter is accused of handling the kids forcefully, pushing, throwing, and dragging them by their arms in several instances. Detectives have tracked down a number of victims, but they think there may be more. If parents have children who attended the Kiddie Academy Daycare in Fishers between January 2023 and March 16 are concerned about abuse, they are urged to call the Fishers Police Department detectives at 317-595-3300.
'Our team is dedicated to sound leadership decisions'
The Kiddie Academy Daycare said in a statement, "On Wednesday, March 15th, we became aware that an assistant teacher in our Toddler room had been acting in a manner contrary to our core values and commitment to provide safe and healthy environments for all children in our care," according to 13WTHR.
The statement continued, "Upon learning of the behavior, we notified the appropriate authorities, and the teacher was terminated. Representatives from CPS and Licensing began their investigation on Friday, March 17th and we have since learned that the former teacher is being formally charged for her actions."
The statement read, "Our team is dedicated to sound leadership decisions, swiftly addressing concerns, aligning with local licensing bodies and ensuring that the trust of each family is earned and maintained. We will continue to fully cooperate with local authorities during any further investigation of this matter."
"We are a local, family-owned independent business and parents ourselves, who care deeply about our children and our community. There is nothing more important than creating a nurturing and safe environment for the children in our care, and their families – it is our life's commitment. — Teffenie Davies, Owner," the statement concluded.