Inset: Tashshavviyon Stinson (Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office). Background: The daycare in Indiana where Tashshavviyon Stinson allegedly locked a child in a closet and beat them with a broom (WFIE).
An Indiana daycare worker is charged with child neglect after allegedly leaving a 5-year-old in a closet while she went to a liquor store. Cops say she also beat the youngster with a broom and took "shots" of alcohol before work.
Tashshavviyon Stinson, 29, is accused of putting the child in the closet multiple times in May and leaving them there alone while she went to buy alcohol, according to local NBC affiliate WFIE. Stinson is a 10-year veteran at Kindergate Developmental Child Care Center in Evansville, the television station reports.
"The child made allegations that they had not been fed during the day, they had not been given a blanket at nap time, but more concerning is that the child had said they'd been locked in a closet and struck with a broom," Evansville Police Department Sgt. Anthony Aussieker told WFIE.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Stinson putting the 5-year-old in the closet and leaving them there after beating them with the broom.
"It's terrifying," Aussieker said. "You know when we as parents kind of give over some of that care to our children, you know, that's our most prized possession, so when we do that, we do it in the full faith that this person is going to take appropriate care of our child as we would if we were able to. I can't imagine the fear, anger, the crazy emotions that family is feeling now."
Police say Stinson has alcohol issues, with an arrest report obtained by WFIE saying, "Tashshavviyon advised [she] has had trouble with alcohol in the past" and "she's taken 'shots' before work in the past." The report alleges that Stinson claimed she "struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts."
Another daycare employee, Andrea Williamson, 47, is also facing a charge of neglect of a dependent after she violated Indiana's mandated reporting law by not telling anyone what Stinson did, police say.
"You don't get the out to say, 'I was waiting to see', you are mandated to report immediately, especially in that role of a caregiver, but if you don't feel comfortable in intervening because of safety or whatever your concerns might be, call 911," Aussieker told WFIE.
Stinson is facing a charge of battery on a person less than 14 years old, in addition to neglect. She is being held on a $25,000 bond. Williamson is currently out on bond.
Stinson and Williamson worked at the Kindergate Downtown location at 623 Gum Street. Attempts by Law&Crime to reach the owner for comment were unsuccessful Monday.