A 23-year-old woman charged April 24 with multiple counts of felony battery of children at a Fishers day care remains in custody on $150,000 bail.
Molly C. Taxter of Noblesville faces two counts of Level 5 battery and 17 counts of Level 6 battery.
The investigation began mid-March after a parent reported that their child returned from the day care, at 11703 Olio Rd., with a handprint bruise on the child’s right leg. According to the probable cause statement filed with the court, the parent and the academy director watched video recordings at the center, and allegedly saw Taxter “shoving (the child’s) head into the changing table, slamming her down, as well as covering her face with a blanket.”
Taxter was fired that day, and police were informed.
The day care’s owner and director told police that when they talked with Taxter, she told them she “may have done it,” and that she was frustrated because the child cries a lot.
The statement alleges that when police contacted Taxter, she told them that she had been working in day care for six years and was “burnt out and should not be working with kids.” She also allegedly repeated her statement about the child crying a lot and admitted to aggressive behavior.
Additional video evidence from March 6 through 15 is summarized in the probable cause statement. The video allegedly shows multiple days when Taxter acted aggressively toward five identified children under her care.
The videos allegedly show Taxter picking a child up by one arm; covering children’s heads with blankets during nap time; using a blanket to pin a child to their cot; taking children’s lunches away; throwing children down onto mats or onto concrete for time-outs; dragging children across the room by one arm; shoving and kicking a child that was walking in front of her; spanking a child; putting a child in a headlock and grabbing their neck; and kicking a cot that had a child on it, then striking the child on the back with her hand.
A bail review hearing for Taxter is scheduled for May 18, according to court records. A jury trial has tentatively been set for Aug. 14.
Fishers Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn released a statement April 26 referencing the case and stressed the need for better oversight. She noted an Indiana news outlet’s investigation showing that a residential youth care facility facing sexual assault allegations is lobbying lawmakers to provide immunity to it and other state-contracted service providers.
“Although day care and child care facilities are obviously different from residential treatment centers, the genesis of this is the same,” Garcia Wilburn said in her statement. “We are trusting adults with our children. Just yesterday, my community of Fishers learned of a daycare worker being charged with 19 counts of felony battery charges against children in the daycare facility. Whether it’s parents sending their children to a day care center or to residential communities with licensed professionals, they should be able to trust that their child will not be harmed while in the care of others.”
Garcia-Wilburn also noted that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
