Woman allegedly steps on five year old child at autism centre
Aaniyah Brown was arrested at a therapy centre and later released on bond
A Georgia woman has been arrested after surveillance footage allegedly captured her stepping on a five-year-old child at an autism therapy centre.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Aaniyah Brown, of Augusta, was charged with first-degree cruelty to children following the incident on April 28.
Deputies were dispatched to the Circle City ABA therapy centre at 1:23 p.m. local time after receiving reports that Brown had allegedly assaulted the young child in her care.
Security camera footage from within the facility reportedly showed Brown pushing the child away with her foot twice.
The footage allegedly escalated to show her holding the victim down by stepping on his lower back.
According to an arrest warrant report obtained by WRDW, the footage also showed that Brown "placed a foot on the child's face" as he attempted to stand up.
Brown later told deputies that she was using her foot to keep the child from harming her, according to local reports.
Officials confirmed that Brown was arrested at approximately 4:20 p.m. and transported to the Richmond County Jail. She was subsequently released after posting a $22,000 bond.
Circle City ABA has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the incident or the current employment status of the accused.
This distressing event has raised significant concerns regarding the safety protocols within specialised care facilities in Georgia.
Historically, child cruelty cases in the region have led to stringent reviews of legislative oversight for private therapy centres and their staff training requirements.