Four more charged in KY day care abuse case, bringing total to nine
Nine people have now been charged with child abuse at a pair of Kentucky day cares.
Trinity Huff, 22, Amanda Spears, 39, Amaris Hamilton, 22, Khrystian Greer, 24, and Abigail Greer were charged this week, bringing the total number of charges to about 50 in the investigation of two Richmond day cares.
The new charges come after four others — Elizabeth Thomas, Theodrick Hersey, 55; Jessica Houk, 43 and Brooklyn Houk, 22 — were charged earlier this month. Hersey and Jessica Houk own the facilities. It is not clear if Jessica and Brooklyn Houk are related.
Thomas was the first employee charged — on April 4, prosecutors charged her with 10 counts of criminal child abuse and fourth-degree assault after they said she repeatedly abused children at A Step Ahead Daycare and The Kids Club Child Care Center.
Hersey, Jessica Houk and Brooklyn Houk were arrested two weeks later and charged with five counts apiece of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or younger, three counts apiece of failure to report child neglect or abuse, and one count apiece of knowingly obstructing an investigation or report of child abuse or neglect, according to court records.
Prosecutors said they knew of Thomas’ behavior but allowed her to remain on staff, leading to the abuse of five more children.
And this week, Huff was charged with criminal abuse of a child 12 or younger and obstructing an investigation; Spears was charged with criminal abuse of a child 12 or younger and wanton endangerment; Hamilton was charged with wanton endangerment; Khrystian Greer was charged with criminal abuse of a child 12 or younger; and Abigail Greer was charged with wanton endangerment and three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
Huff, the former director of the two day cares, was arrested April 25, according to court records. Richmond police said she reported to police an incident where a child escaped one of the facilities on two different occasions and headed toward a busy road, but when state authorities arrived to investigate, she lied to them.
Days later, after becoming angry with Hersey and Jessica Houk, she retracted those statements, according to court documents.
Huff also recorded a video in January of an employee restraining and strangling a 4-year-old at the facility, court documents say. She told investigators she left it up to the other employees to determine if the incident was abuse, and she did not report it to authorities until she became angry at the owners.
In Kentucky, mandatory reporters, including day care employees, are required to report suspicion of abuse.
The worker seen strangling the child was later identified as Khrystian Greer, according to court documents.
Greer is seen in the video grabbing the child and tightly squeezing her arms. The child made attempts to escape, and Greer grabbed the child around her body at chest level just under her neckline.
The child continued to scream, and Greer covered the child’s nose and mouth. The child began to flail their legs and arms “consistent with a panic due to restricted breathing,” the complaint reads.
Greer continued to hold the child until another employee entered the room.
Spears witnessed the strangulation but failed to report it out of fear of retaliation, according to her criminal complaint.
Hamilton was charged in the incident where the 3-year-old child escaped twice in one day.
Spears was tasked with fixing the doors from which the child escaped, according to her criminal complaint, but instead put up Easter decorations.
Civil lawsuit filed
A parent of three children at the day care facilities also filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday.
Larry Schmidt filed the lawsuit on behalf of his three children against both day cares, Jessica Houk, Brooklyn Houk, Hersey, Thomas, Spears and Huff.
The lawsuit claims negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, criminal abuse, assault, outrage and emotional distress.
While Schmidt’s children are not the victims listed in the criminal complaints, Schmidt’s children reported similar abuse, including being held down and choked with a towel and having food and water withheld throughout the day as punishment.
“Parents blame themselves for not protecting their children,” said Justin Peterson, Schmidt’s attorney. “He is like any parent: alarmed and disgusted as to the allegations that come out.”
