A Colorado daycare employee who was fired last fall when allegations of abuse surfaced has now been arrested on 51 misdemeanor child abuse charges.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said “somebody” reported an instance of abuse on September 5. A substitute teacher’s aide said that 32-year-old Brandon Vigil “seemed irritated and in a bad mood and was throwing things” in his classroom of 14 toddlers.
“Vigil was throwing sleeping pads around and appeared visibly upset that kids were in his way,” the sheriff’s office said. “One child was not moving quickly enough and was allegedly struck by Vigil with an open hand.”
When the 2-year-old began to cry, Vigil responded by calling them a racial slur.
The substitute aide “was shocked by Vigil’s behavior and immediately reported it to the director of the daycare and law enforcement.” She also said that Vigil had been verbally abusive to children in his care in the past, although no other incidents were reported. Nevertheless, he was fired the day after the report.
When officials began an investigation, they “discovered many instances of harmful, degrading, and humiliating actions directing at the children, all two years old.”
Investigators eventually obtained a warrant charging Vigil with nine counts of class 1 misdemeanor child abuse, 19 counts of class 2 misdemeanor child abuse, and 23 counts of harassment, also a misdemeanor.
He turned himself in last month. The sheriff’s office did not identify the daycare facility involved.
