Johnson day care provider accused of abusing child

Lehoe was contacted in mid-February by a Department for Children and Families investigator who told him that a parent of a child in Brown’s care had said that Brown “bopped” him on the head, visibly bruising his ears. The parent confronted Brown on Facebook about her son’s allegations, and Brown claimed he must have engaged in rough play outside in the snow.

The parent then placed her son in a different day care, where the boy told his new day care provider that Brown had hurt his ear, was “mean to him” and had hit him on the head. That day care provider informed the Department for Children and Families.

When Lehoe met with Brown at her Johnson home, she repeated the claim the child must have been hurt roughhousing in the snow and pointed out that she cares for up to 10 children at a time, with nine present on the day the alleged abuse took place.

When confronted with allegations that the boy told police Brown had upset and hurt him, she admitted to raising her voice, said the situation made her feel “sad” and feared she would lose her job, Lehoe said.

Eventually, Brown told Lehoe she’d pulled on the child’s ears and hit him on the head after becoming frustrated with him “because he was not getting ready to go outside.”

Although the child had bruising on his knee, Brown said she didn’t kick him.

After pulling his ears, Brown told police she apologized, claiming the boy was fine by the time they went outside. Brown told Lehoe the situation made her feel “like s--t.”

Brown made the sign of the cross when she confirmed her sworn statement, according to Lehoe.

A pediatrician with the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital testified that the bruising on the child’s ear was the result of “significant force” and it was unlikely the child would have received the injury by falling off a snowbank or in some accidental way without being noticed by a caregiver.

Simple assault can be punished by up to one year in prison and an up to $1,000 fine. Cruelty to a child can bring a sentence of up to two years in prison and an up to $500 fine.