GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Detectives are investigating a childcare facility after officers said surveillance video uncovered child abuse at the hands of the director.
Snellville Police Department arrested Vivian Rankins Friday at the daycare where she worked, Sunshine Childcare Learning Center. Investigators said she is charged with Cruelty to Children in the 2nd Degree after assaulting a 4-year-old there.
Samerramise Gibson and Jordan Denton said the child is their son. They shared surveillance video that the child’s mother captured on her cell phone while Rankins played it for her on a computer.
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“Just to see it, it was so disgusting,” said Gibson. “And me, sitting there, as a mother, recording it, it took everything out of me not to retaliate.”
In the video, you can see a woman in a chair begin to hit the little boy as he plays on the ground. She picks him up, shakes him, puts her hands around his neck. The attack lasts nearly 30 seconds.
“We trusted them so much,” said Denton. “All of our kids have been in this daycare.”
The daycare where Rankins worked has been located at 2841 W. Main St. in Snellville since Jan. 2019, according to Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning records.
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State inspection records show the daycare was fined in February of this year for repeatedly violating codes related to fire safety and emergency plans and accounting for children coming and going from school.
In August, the daycare was in compliance. Less than three weeks later, the surveillance video of the child abuse surfaced.
The daycare management said in a statement, “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.”
Visiting with Channel 2 Action News reporter Courtney Francisco Sunday, the 4-year-old was in good spirits. His parents are asking police to review more surveillance video to see if the abuse spanned beyond this month and if other children were hurt.
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“What all have they don’t that we still don’t know about?” asked Gibson.
The family is now looking for new childcare.
There is a link that can help parents in their search. You can click here to research any location licensed in Georgia.
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