BLAINE, MN – Two Minnesota daycare workers face serious charges after authorities apprehended them for allegations of brutal mistreatment of infants in their charge, including actions that caused at least one child to suffer a broken leg. The suspects, identified as Elizabeth Augusta Wiemerslage, 22, and Chloe Kaye Johnson, 24, were charged on Thursday with multiple counts of malicious punishment of a child as well as assault of a child under the age of four.
The investigation by the Blaine Police Department was triggered on July 16 when a Minneapolis hospital alerted the Small World Learning Center about suspicious bruises found on a 5-month-old infant. The parents of the child were the ones who initially noticed the fresh marks upon picking their baby up from the facility and questioned the daycare about the injuries.
Contradictory explanations from the daycare suggested the injuries might have been from furniture within the center, a claim echoed by both Wiemerslage and Johnson when individually questioned by law enforcement officials. However, this account was starkly contradicted by the evidence of video surveillance from within the Small World Learning Center, revealing disturbing behavior towards the infants.
The footage reportedly shows Johnson handling one of the infants harshly, flipping the baby back and forth, while Wiemerslage was seen watching. The baby’s distress was apparent, even without audio to accompany the video. In another instance captured by the cameras, Johnson is observed covering an infant’s mouth with a cloth as the baby cried. Wiemerslage, in a separate action, is seen dragging a different crying baby across a mat and then slamming the infant onto a pillow. Both were alleged to have carried out their actions while fully aware of the infants’ inability to walk or crawl, leaving the young victims particularly vulnerable.
The severity of the charges reflects the disturbing nature of the alleged abuse. Blaine Police Capt. Mark Boerboom described the allegations as “exceptionally shocking,” noting that parents expect daycare centers to be a safe space for their children, a trust that was betrayed in this case.
Upon their arrests, both Wiemerslage and Johnson have since been released on bond. Meanwhile, a parent of one of the victims expressed outrage over the release of the accused, stating their child suffered from bruises and a fractured leg. The parent’s plea for awareness and justice was shared via social media, emphasizing the gravity of the harm inflicted on their child and potentially others at the daycare facility.
Both women currently await further legal proceedings as the case continues to unravel, with the Blaine Police Department and local authorities piecing together the extent of the unfortunate events that transpired at the Small World Learning Center.
