Daycare workers fired after video shows staff member throwing shoe at child

Daycare worker throws shoe

A daycare worker was caught throwing a shoe at a 5-year-old.

LOS ANGELES - Employees who were seen on video witnessing a teacher throwing a shoe at a 5-year-old child at an Inglewood daycare center have been fired. 

What we know:

The incident happened at the Destiny Development Center on January 16. Video shows a staff member, who has since been fired, throwing a shoe in the direction of the little girl, prompting the child to cry. The video then shows the teacher going over to the child and saying, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." 

Two other employees were in the room when the incident happened and failed to report it. 

The child was not seriously injured and there are no additional victims. 

The LA County Sheriff's Department says the daycare center is cooperating with investigators and has fired all involved employees seen in the video. 

Danielle Williams, the director of the daycare center, shared an apology via Instagram.

"I understand the hurt, frustration of the mother," Williams said. "I'm a mother, a Black mother, a Black educator. During the interview with our previous employee, and continued employment, the staff never presented behaviors to this child or others in her care that would warrant us to assume that she would harm a child. When we hire staff, we cannot predict that there may be a day that they'll decide to abuse a child."

What's next:

No arrests have been made at this time, the department said, but they are in the early stages of their investigation. 

"Investigators are actively and diligently pursuing all leads, and we are confident that a thorough investigation will be conducted to identify all involved parties and that they will be held accountable for their actions or inactions," the department said in a statement Saturday. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau toll-free tip line at (877) 710-5273 or email specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting lacrimestoppers.org.