Who is Vivian Rankins? Daycare director arrested after video shows her pulling 4-year-old by the neck and violently assaulting him
SNELLVILLE, GEORGIA: Former Georgia daycare director Vivian Rankins, 67, was arrested on Thursday, September 14, for assaulting a four-year-old on tape.
Rankins faces a felony charge of child cruelty after she was allegedly filmed hitting a child in her care a week ago, Law and Crime reported.
Why did Vivian Rankins assault a four-year-old child?
The child's mother Samerramise Gibson shared footage with Fox 5 showing Rankins being handcuffed and taken away. "I was livid. You hurt my son," she said.
Even though the reason behind assaulting the child is not clear, the victim's parents learned about it from the parent of another child at the daycare who witnessed it.
For six days, Samerramise Gibson and father Jordan Denton were denied the footage and when they finally saw it, it shocked them.
"I'm like looking at my son like, 'I can't believe somebody did this to you that we trusted,'" Gibson said as she recorded the footage on her cellphone to share it with her family.
The victim has been going to the daycare since three years
The child had been in the care for three years at 'The Sunshine Child Learning Center' located in the 2800 block of West Main Street.
The grainy video showed Vivian leaning over and striking the child multiple times on his back and head.
She then picks him up off the floor grabs him by his neck and repeatedly shakes him before throwing him back to the floor.
"I'm angry. There’s no four-year-old who can do anything to make you that angry to the point where all that is happening," father of the boy Jordan Denton said.
He added, "From picking my son up by his neck to shaking him to pushing him back down."
Vivian Rankins has been fired from her position at the daycare
The parents have appealed to report the centre and asked police to review more surveillance videos to see all the abuse spanned beyond this month and if other children were hurt.
The facility has released a statement suggesting Rankins has been relieved.
“Concerning the recent incident involving our former director, we are also deeply shocked and troubled by the incident and are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every child under our care,” Sunshine Child Learning said in a statement.
They added, “Our primary concern is the well-being of children, families, and staff in our centre. Their safety, security, and privacy are our top priorities.”
Meanwhile, Rankins was released from detention after posting a surety bond of $7,500, Law and Crime reported.
