A Mississippi woman has been released on bond after being charged with child abuse while working in a daycare.
Authorities report Haley Rozek bit one of the children left under her supervision. Police say the former caretaker said it was an accident as she tried to calm the baby down.
On Jan. 9, the woman who allegedly admitted to biting a 1-year-old boy’s arm while she was caring for him was released on a $15,000 bond and made her first appearance before a Jones County Justice Court.
Now, the 26-year-old is facing one felonious abuse and battery of a child charge after telling her supervisors she unintentionally assaulted the minor at the Kids Company Day Care on Lake Como Road in Laurel, Mississippi, in December, Leader Call reports.
On Dec. 7, the boy’s mother noticed the adult bite marks and immediately went to law enforcement to file a complaint.
The Jones County Sheriff’s Department promptly started an investigation into the daycare. Deputy Priscilla Pitts met with the director and workers about the allegations. The director said Rozek told her privately what she did, prompting a mandated report to tell the officer who committed the troublesome offense to the toddler.
“The daycare employees were interviewed, and one of the employees, Haley Rozek, admitted to biting the child on the arm,” Investigator Denny Graham said. “She stated that it was the child who was upset, she was trying to calm the child down, blowing on his arm and he pulled away, and she inadvertently bit him.”
According to the police report obtained by Atlanta Black Star, “Rozek stated she never had any issues with parents or the kids before.”
Rozek told the interviewer that on the day of the incident, while she was holding the child, he “leaned forward and pressed his limps [sic] against her face, which stated was when she bit him.”
“Rozek stated it was not a hard bite, but she was playing with him,” the report explained, sharing that the officer, “asked Rozek to compare biting into a piece of bread or apple in order to get her to explain how hard the bite was. Rozek stated it was between the two.”
According to Rozek, she never intended “on hurting the child or actually biting him,” calling her action “an accident.”
A copy of the report, which included Rozek’s confession, was given to the sheriff’s department and the Department of Health, as required by law. The director also gave the investigators surveillance footage of the incident. However, the footage reportedly did not depict the incident because of the poor quality of light.
Rozek, who had only worked at the daycare for two months, is said to have been immediately fired. After being terminated, the woman filed for unemployment with the state, listing the reason for her termination as “accidentally bit a child,” the director told police.
On Monday, Jan. 9, after authorities collected all of the evidence against her, the woman was arrested at her residence and booked at the Jones County Adult Detention Center, where she was reported to have given the incriminating interview to investigators.
Sgt. J.D. Carter, an investigator for the sheriff’s department, said the daycare was crucial in detaining the suspect. They were helpful and forthcoming throughout the process.
“We appreciate Kids Company for the way they handled this situation,” Carter said. “They handled everything just how they should’ve. They worked with us,” adding, “There’s no reason to ever bite a child.”
Whether or not Rozek has a lawyer or has entered a plea regarding the charge is still unclear.
