Five former day care workers in Hamilton, Mississippi, were prosecuted after a video appeared to show four of them ridiculing terrified children while wearing masks similar to those seen in the “Scream” film series.
Thursday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said that Sierra McCandless, Oci-Anna Kilburn, Jennifer Newman, and Shyenne Mills were each charged with three counts of felony child abuse. Each individual is in their 20s. Traci Hutson was charged with obligatory reporter failure to report abuse and simple assault.
The sheriff’s office reported that all five were arrested and put into the Monroe County Jail on Wednesday. According to the sheriff’s office, the bond for McCandless, Kilburn, Newman, and Mills was set at $15,000, while it was $20,000 for McCandless and Kilburn.
The accusations were filed after a video allegedly showing the former day care staff threatening children at the Lil’ Blessings Childcare and Learning Center was shared online. The day care workers were caught wearing masks and approaching various children while yelling in their faces as they sobbed and hid in fear.
Ongoing investigation of the incident.
“As a father and a person with enormous sympathy for those who can’t defend themselves, it was really difficult for me to watch these recordings today, and my instant reaction was the same as most people’s: ‘They should be charged’” Sheriff Kevin Crook issued a statement on October 6 following the posting of the video.
But, he remarked, “Our Investigators do not file charges purely based on the viewing of a video, and we do not encourage others to rush to the Justice Court and begin filing. We need time to investigate a matter and uncover the true, complete facts of the issue.”
“It made me queasy to consider the terror those children were experiencing. It still occurs, “he added.