The Brief
- A South St. Paul daycare worker faces charges after a child was found with bruising on her ear between Jan. 28 and Jan. 30, 2026.
- The child told her mother and later investigators that “Ms. Karen pulled my ear.”
- A child abuse pediatrician described the injury as “highly concerning for child physical abuse” and “highly specific for inflicted injury.”
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – A South St. Paul daycare worker is facing charges after a young child was found with bruising on her ear, and the child told investigators the worker pulled it.
South St. Paul daycare abuse charges
What we know:
According to a criminal complaint, Karen Denise Dudley, 60, of West St. Paul, is charged with malicious punishment of a child, a gross misdemeanor, in connection with an event that took place between Jan. 28 and Jan. 30, 2026, at a daycare facility in South St. Paul.
The case began on Feb. 2, when the South St. Paul Police Department received a report of child abuse at the daycare. The child’s mother had noticed a bruise on the outside top part of her daughter’s right ear. When she asked her daughter about it, the girl said, “Mr. Karen pulled my hair.”…