A Texas daycare owner was arrested on Friday after the father of a 6-month-old baby attached a small camera to the infant’s carseat after becoming suspicious of abuse.
FOX News reports that Rebecca Anderson, a licensed operator of “Becky’s Home Childcare” in Mequite, managed the daycare for over 20 years before recent disturbing details of child abuse emerged. The alleged incidents occurred inside her home off of the 4300 block of Tamarix Court.
According to court documents, the camera attached to the infant’s carseat showed that “the defendant (Anderson) yanked (the infant) out of his car seat by his ankle to change his diaper. The defendant was later observed pulling (the child) up from the ground by his bib which was attached to his neck.”
According to court documents, the defendant “was then observed drawing an unknown substance from a bottle and administering it to (the child) via a plastic syringe.” The parents of the infant boy said he isn’t on any medication and Anderson shouldn’t have had any reason to administer any.
Mesquite Police Sgt. Joseph Thompson stated that after obtaining a search warrant, authorities began searching the home. They found additional evidence that other children may have been abused. Detectives located three children strapped in their carseat and placed inside the closet of a bedroom, some with”shoelace-like ligatures” around their necks.
After police presented her with video evidence, Anderson reportedly “admitted that she gave medication (Tylenol) to make them stop crying and to make her job easier.”
When questioned about the ligatures around the children’s necks, Anderson reportedly said it helped ensure the children wouldn’t grab their car seat latches and get out of their carseats, according to the Star-Telegram.
Court documents indicated that although there were no apparent bruises, the children had to be “cut free from the (car) seats.”
“There was definitely some evidence that they may have been medicated and that they were possibly being restrained,” Thompson said.
Authorities continue to interview the parents of all of the children in the daycare. Police indicated that nine children “may have been exposed to unnecessary doses of over the counter medicine, extended periods of restricted movement, and poor hygiene practices.”
Anderson is facing 9 counts of felony child endangerment. Her daycare license is currently valid, but could be taken away, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
Anyone parent who has ever place their child in Anderson’s care is asked to call the Mesquite Police Department at 972-285-6336.
[Feature Photo: Rebecca Anderson/Handout]
