ANDERSON, Ind. — The Madison County prosecutor’s office charged a now-former Anderson day care worker with one count of reckless supervision by a child care provider. The move came after Anderson police arrested the worker following allegations she mistreated a child with autism in her care.
Last week, Anderson police arrested Destiny Valladares, 20, for reckless supervision of a child, neglect of a dependent and confinement. On Tuesday, the Madison County prosecutor decided to file a single misdemeanor charge against Valladares — who used to work at the YMCA Early Learning Childcare Facility at Madison Park. The day care is run out of the church, but the YMCA is fully in charge.
The probable cause affidavit filed with the charges lays out accusations that Valladares did not properly care for a 3-year-old boy with autism. Three day care workers told 13 Investigates they saw Dean Sheets left alone in a classroom and a bathroom.
“He could have got hurt,” the boy’s mother Tara Sheets said to WTHR. “I'm not paying them to put my son in a room by himself and not have direct supervision.”
Court documents show an Anderson police investigator spoke to four former day care workers as witnesses who report seeing the child left alone. They also say duct tape was used to keep the child’s diaper on.
Sheets told 13 Investigates, when she enrolled Dean at the day care, she asked if it was equipped to handle a child with autism. She said they accepted him. Sheets told 13 Investigates she planned to have Dean there until he could be admitted to a special therapy program, which has a six-month waiting list.
About four months after Dean started, Sheets said she received a letter from the YMCA facility that stated the day care was unable to provide the "level of attention, learning tools and specialized care" Dean needed. 13 Investigates confirmed the day care notified three families it was no longer able to care for their children because their needs "went beyond our scope of care." The former day care workers tell 13 Investigates all three children have autism.
A YMCA spokesman sent a statement to 13News saying, while it does not have a specific training program for staff, it does “look for candidates who have experience caring for children with special needs.”
The YMCA of Madison County says it cooperated with the police investigation and put Valladares on leave. She was later fired after being arrested. The YMCA also fired the day care’s director.
Following Valladares’ arrest, Anderson police told 13News another arrest could be pending. Valladares was released from jail with a $10,000 bond. A court date has not yet been set.
13 Investigates reached out to Valladares for comment but have not heard back.
On Oct. 9, Star Conley, the former daycare director, pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless supervision of a child by a care provider and failure to report child abuse or neglect.