CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A daycare worker was terminated and a mother is outraged after she says the worker had an inappropriate relationship with her 10-year-old son.
Clayton County Police and the Department of Family and Children Services are investigating.
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Channel 2′s Candace McCowan spoke with the mother on WSB Tonight at 11 p.m.
Grace Shoyelu thought something was off with a newer worker at Youth Life Center on Valley Hill Road.
But when she plugged in her son’s phone she said, “Her face was his screen saver on the phone and it was a picture that she had taken of herself.”
She checked her son’s phone and discovered messages that may have gone on for weeks.
“I went through his text messages because that was the first thing that I thought, and her name was saved in his phone as mommy. It was a bunch of ‘I love you’s’ and ‘what are you wearing’,” said Shoyelu.
There was a slew of concerning conversations and pictures including one where the worker had a short skirt on.
“That’s not a picture that you send to a 10-year-old. That’s a picture that you send to your man,” said Shoyelu.
Shoyelu said the worker bought her son clothes, shoes, and even a gold chain. Shoyelu said when investigators came to her apartment, a Department of Family and Children’s Services worker got the 10-year-old to reveal more.
“He did say there was this incident where she was rubbing his leg and it happened on the way back from the field trip,” Shoyelu said.
Channel 2 Action News isn’t using the worker’s name because she has yet to be charged.
And that is why Grace is outraged.
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“Had it been a situation where it had been a little girl and a grown man, they would’ve locked him up on the spot with no questions until he was proven innocent,” said Shoyelu.
McCowan reached out to Youth Life Center, who sent a statement, saying:
“We take seriously our responsibility to provide a safe and positive environment for the young people who participate in our programs. We are aware of the allegations that have been made against a former employee of our organization concerning an incident involving a minor. We are committed to protecting the privacy of those hurt by this incident, and to abiding by our privacy obligations. We can share that, upon learning of these allegations, we took immediate action by notifying the appropriate authorities and commencing an internal investigation. While the criminal allegations remain under investigation by the authorities, we have terminated the employee for violations of standard operating procedures. We will continue to cooperate with authorities.”
Clayton County Police did not respond to multiple emails about the investigation.
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