Additional Coverage:
- Florida daycare worker accused of using hand sanitizer on disabled child’s wounds for ‘fun’ (irishstar.com)
Daycare Worker Charged with Child Abuse After Allegedly Pouring Hand Sanitizer on Wounds
SPRING HILL, FL – A former daycare worker in Spring Hill is facing serious charges after allegedly abusing an 11-year-old child with disabilities, including pouring hand sanitizer into open wounds on the child’s arms.
Kaitlyn Pitzer, 36, has been charged with one count of child abuse following an investigation by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities were called to the Tender Care PPEC (Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care) facility after concerns were raised about Pitzer’s conduct. The facility had recently dismissed Pitzer, citing mistreatment of a child during her employment.
According to the sheriff’s office, surveillance footage from the facility revealed disturbing incidents involving Pitzer and the child, who has medically complex conditions.
Investigators say the footage shows Pitzer and another employee attempting to bandage the child’s forehead. As the child leaned forward, Pitzer allegedly “forcefully pushed on the child’s forehead, causing the child’s body to jerk backward in a manner that appeared violent and excessive.”
The footage also reportedly shows Pitzer taunting the child with a piece of cake. When the child reached for some icing, Pitzer, visibly frustrated, allegedly smeared the icing across the child’s face.
She then picked up icing from the floor and aggressively rubbed it onto the child’s forehead. Pitzer is then seen wetting a paper towel and forcefully wiping the icing from the child’s face from behind, causing visible distress.
Even more alarmingly, the surveillance footage then allegedly shows Pitzer dragging the child to a hand sanitizer dispenser and applying the liquid directly onto open wounds on the child’s arms. The child was then observed fleeing “in distress.”
The child’s parents informed officers that the forceful push to the child’s forehead could have resulted in serious injury due to pre-existing medical conditions. They also reported that scabbed injuries, which had been in the process of healing, began bleeding again after the incident.
When questioned, Pitzer reportedly acknowledged partial responsibility for her actions. She admitted to being frustrated that day and acknowledged her behavior was inappropriate.
Pitzer stated that she knew applying hand sanitizer to the child’s open wounds would cause pain but “did not care at the time.” She also admitted to smearing cake on the child’s face, saying she thought it was “funny” in the moment.