Richmond Day Care Worker Arrested for Allegedly Abusing Children

A Richmond day care worker is facing multiple charges of child abuse.

Police say 25-year-old Elizabeth Thomas was arrested Monday at the Richmond Police Department.

According to her arrest citation, the abuse happened at A Step Ahead Daycare.

Thomas is accused of grabbing children by the arm and pulling them around the room, denying food to a child with dietary restrictions, and throwing a child who did not want to take a nap into a cot and holding him down.

She admitted to losing her temper at work and was taken to the Madison County Detention Center.

Thomas is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.

A former worker at A Step Ahead, Dayonna Miller, talked to reporters about her experience with Thomas.

“It just kind of scares me into thinking a grown woman would that to kids,” Miller said.

Miller says she called Child Protective Services multiple times about what she witnessed while working at the same location as Thomas.

“I would come in after her when she goes home. They’re in there, ‘Miss Dayonna, I’m thirsty,’ ‘Miss Dayonna, I’m hungry,’ Miller said. ”And I’m like ‘so did Miss Libby give you any water?’ so you know it’s really concerning”.

Miller said on March 28 that she was fired and asked not to return to the property.

The same night, the daycare hosted a meeting for parents who were curious about what was going on at the daycare.

“I hear parents just yelling at them like, ‘Why do y’all have physical abuse allegations, what’s going on why is my child coming home complaining about being hungry?‘,” Miller said.