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CALL 6: Day care worker admits to neglecting child who was hurt

Posted at 2:17 PM, Jun 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-23 14:17:08-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis day care worker admitted Friday to neglecting a 1-year old girl she was supposed to be supervising.

Brandi Bonner reached a plea agreement with Marion County prosecutors in which she pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a level 5 felony.

The incident happened at Live, Laugh, Love and Learn, on East 38th Street, on October 1.

Mother Lashawna Payne told Call 6 Investigates an 11 year old boy hit, punched, scratched and tormented her 1-year old daughter at the facility. 

CALL 6 | Mother speaks out after toddler injured by older child while at day care

As part of the plea agreement, Bonner will serve three years of home detention through Marion County Community Corrections.

Bonner was accused of not providing adequate and continuous care to the 1-year-old as the abuse happened.

Live, Laugh, Love and Learn is an unlicensed registered ministry, which means they do not have to separate children by age like a licensed center would have to do.

The director, Ashley James, is also facing criminal charges in connection with the incident and is scheduled for trial on July 20.

Investigators believe James became aware of the child's injuries, and left Bonner to care for the eight children at the facility.

Call 6 Investigates reached out to the day care for comment on the criminal charges, but a worker said the director was not in and declined to comment further.

Bonner was scheduled for a hearing Friday afternoon in which the judge can accept or not accept the plea agreement.

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