Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Daycare Worker Caught Hurting Kids: Sheriff

Episode Date: May 25, 2026

Laura Flores taught at a daycare in Marion County, Florida for several years. Earlier this year, Flores was arrested and charged with child abuse after detectives said they got a call about Flores harming a child in her care. A review of video from the daycare stunned investigators who later took Flores into custody. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the case in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You got to know which one she's going to? We're in time. Laura Flores was a daycare worker for years until one day she wasn't. I'll go through the terrible reasons why. So don't, don't speak, okay? I just want to let you know, okay, that we have, we watched a video, okay? Oh, she's not another kid. What the?

Oh! I'm Ann Janette Levy, and this is crime fix. When you drop your kids off at daycare, you expect snacks, nap time, maybe some finger painting. You do not expect bruises on their faces, scratches that weren't there that morning, and a teacher who blames a piano. But that is exactly what the Marion County Sheriff's Office says happened at the Bright Beginnings Learning Center in Summerfield, Florida. According to the arrest report, this woman, Laura Flores, had a classroom full of 13-month-olds. She had been there for four years.

Her own child was in that same classroom. But on February 11, 2026, that arrest report claims a parent noticed bruises on their child's face, marks that were not there that morning. Detectives say the teacher's explanation was, the child fell off of a piano. But the daycare had cameras. And when the director reviewed the footage, the detective said the piano story, simply fell apart. Instead, the sheriff's office says the surveillance video, which they released a Fox 35 in Orlando, showed something much, much worse. Fair warning, this is really hard to watch. Flores is seen here in this surveillance footage. According to detectives, what the surveillance

video shows is really disturbing. A child is picked up, but not gently. Detectives said another child was hit and then hit again. And there's even more on that video to get into. Flores was charged with three counts of child abuse. And the conduct, both most watched the video, the conduct of what we saw at that daycare, just like that one day was beyond appalling. This is body camera footage that we obtained from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. What you just heard was an officer telling Laura Flores exactly what they saw on the surveillance video. And we're going to show you what he was watching. Deputies arrived at the daycare after receiving a call from the Department of Children and Families regarding an injured child. The report states, upon reviewing the video surveillance from

211, 2026, the suspect could be seen picking him up and carrying him by one arm. She is later observed kicking victim to the side as she walks past him, once causing the victim to fall on his face. When the children were put down for nap time, the suspect appears to slughey. She is up the victim and even rest her foot on top of him in an apparent attempt to keep him from moving. She also aggressively jerks him up and shoves him back onto the mat several times. Now, this is really concerning to say the very least, so detectives from the sheriff's office went to investigate. Hi. Hi.

Hi, how are you? Thank you. I'm still a few with license. Nice to meet you. Hi. Hi. Hi. That's right?

6902. Ms. Amy, this is Mr. Peele, Mr. Wade. And the officer. Tori, Hammond. And this is Officer Hammond. Tori. Okay. Do you want to get the video first?

Yeah, let's check out the video first. And just to let you know the owner is on the phone also. Okay. Hello. Hello. I'm not sure he wants to watch the video first. Oh, I'll let's go ahead. Good.

You can get you a bigger. Are you able to like... Oh, that would be. Fantastic. Yeah. Can you put it on? 1099. Go ahead.

26 and I'll be 1017. I think the only way I could do is if I'm going to my computer and then I... Okay. I'm not... I'm not... Because I have to... You send it to me already. Yes.

Yeah, absolutely. You can move on the phone. Thank you. I was trying to find the piano, but. the piano but miss sylvia it came to light that the piano accident never happened yeah because i took a picture of the little small piano he wouldn't hurt his face off of that one no is that a fan there is that that's shorty right there because she where she covering him up with a blanket or something she was swaddling him oh swaddling him yeah he would sleep better if he was swaddled

And where is she now? She's been put on in Mediterranean League. Okay. The number we found out. Did she make any statements to you guys about it? Yeah, she came clean. She actually was the one that that photos would happen.

Okay, what did she say? That she forced to leave put the child on the mat during that time. And that, who is this, Ms. Flores? You have a statement for her? No, I don't. I have like a timeline. know everything that happened so I guess yes there is a statement because it tells you

here what she told me okay yeah I also have it on email I also have it an email so I don't know what's better physical copy absolutely three copies and also give mr. all another copy of this idea for mr. well okay let me have hey go ahead we sent her home the minute that we found out so what is it okay no problem Thank you. Bye. The detectives have watched the video. Write-ups from Ms. Flores.

I don't have... It's definitely out of character. Okay. How long has you been employed here? Four years. She has her own child in the classroom as well. Is it her child? Do you here?

No. The director explains how all of this unraveled and what happened when Flores realized they were calling DCF. And then what's your top total? I'm the director. So who initially interviewed? Which the employee.

And when was that? Yesterday morning at 835. Yeah, so we weren't aware of the incident. So it didn't happen yesterday. It happened the day before. And from our knowledge, Ms. Flores, Laura, she had told us that he fell off of the piano that was in the classroom. And that was the accident report that was written up.

Um, the mother then basically when the sister picked up the child from the daycare, um, they noticed the bruises on him and whatnot. And I believe they took him to the hospital, um, to get checked out. And that's when it was told that the bruises don't align with the fall, you know? Um, and so when mom came in in the morning time and had a meeting with Miss Amy, which is when we found out, you know, and she told us she's, all of her reasonings were completely valid. Like when she's like, it just doesn't make sense. It didn't make sense to us either. So we're like, okay, we'll review the footage, we'll see what's going on.

And initially, we were looking for the fall off of the piano. That is what our, like when we were looking for the incident, we were trying to find out. So when Ms. Laura showed up for work yesterday, she walked. into the room with Miss Amy and she was like, you know, what are you doing? And she's like, looking for this fall. And Amy could not find it on the camera. You know, and then it was like, Miss Laura was like, well, what if you don't find it? It's like, well, it has to be on here. Like, if it happened, look, it's got to be in there. And then, you know, she was like, Laura, were you in the room when it happened? Were you, you know, and she's like, no, I wasn't. You could tell the law I was just trying to be fabricated.

DPS and DCF will be here and they'll have to ask you questions and whatnot. She was like, well, why do they have to ask me questions? And we're like, well, because you're the teacher. You're the lead teacher. Was aggressive with him on the back. Okay. Just so you guys are aware, I do have, my sergeant is waiting on a major crimes detective to get a call. It might be a little bit more of a lengthy process today.

Now listen to what the director reveals next. Baby does not have any bruses. Okay. So it's everything, anything that had 11 a.m. mark. Oh, he's so cute. And that's at what time? 11. She shall.

11 a.m. No roses. That's through class dojo. When do you see the bruises come in? The bruises at 1129? No, no. No, no. That's 1229.

1129 right then's last day yeah what time is nap time 12 to 215 so was the day before this was yes or 12 to 215 did she ever give a reason why she was putting him down unfortunately you always he was he crying or anything that day was he yeah he was fussy I think but he's a new baby here he started on two nine yeah so oh wow to nine so miss laura i mean miss miss kathy miss kathy's gonna do something with you guys um she's only two days he been on here two days yeah right we have any info on miss flor's um yeah i have her file is it all in here no i have together give us a 51 31 you know what i'm saying that's that

talking about background screening and personal requirement on. Oh, yeah. I think they got to go out for once. Ms. Jazz, has, she had any incidents like this before? It's all very, because you obviously know how we are, but Laura now, she had a baby, she went on maternity leave, and then she was open-armed. So it's not like her.

You know, for me, you know, she was talking to Miss Amy, and she said that, that, you know, she was talking to Miss Amy, and she said that, She was overwhelmed and to me that's not an excuse. There's so many, you know, and I'm just like the kid has been in our care for two days. Everyone is not her first rodeo. She knows that any child that's new has a transition time and it just so it was very caught off guard, very shocking and obviously we've never dealt with this before. So we just, we want to make sure that we were taking all the right avenues, we instantly reported it. And it's sad because we consider her family.

But she made a choice and whatever consequences follow, you know, have to follow. Yeah. You want that one in this one? Yeah, and just a top copy. Don't you don't know. Just a top copy. And put her phone number on there and address. You want her address to?

A phone number and address on here. But the surveillance doesn't stop. there. She grabbed her real aggressively like, did like this, picked them up. It's like doing it in the corner right here. Thank you. Because I thought he was still up underneath the table. Mm-mm. Mm-hmm. Went in there? Okay. She put them down where, like.

She took them over there and over here. Mm-hmm. You don't know the soil down in the back? You can move that line. That's... In the brown? She might do. She walked over and she went through something.

I don't know, was anything in the mug? Carled a baby. Picked him up. Chetty swinging the mud right in. That was like a little force. What time was about? 10.02. If I turn on.

Yeah. Under the table. But just he's underneath the table. I'm surprised she haven't hit him yet with her feet or anything. Who knows you can't have to tell him. Oh, Lord. You saw that? Mm-mm. You picked him up by one arm.

Another child? The same kid. Go back. She picked him up by one arm and put them right back over there in that corner. Watch. She could have picked him by one arm. Nope. That's yeah.

That's it. Look at that. Look at that. You see it? She grabs them by one on. One arm. One arm. The right arm.

Oh, what time was it? Then they see something else on the same child. He right behind her. I guarantee she's going to pick him up again. He's all right? Oh, you got some good eyes in here. Just a little bit. Go back a little bit.

Let's stand right there. Stay right there. She kicked him. Watch her kick. He's going to go right here. He'll sit down. He's going to sit down. She gonna step over him.

Watch, watch her hand. Bam, two. You seen it? Boy, she kicked him. Kicked the boy? Yeah. Kicked the baby. Stay right there.

She going to step over him. See? Yeah. He told him. That's the mark on the left. And that's 10-12 both. So she kicked them twice. It seems like, fom.

Kicked them twice. He had a mark on his leg. And they didn't know where it came. She kicked him? Twice. Twice. Now here is where the viewing shifts because what they're watching, they'll soon learn, isn't just one child.

It's three. One, a boy who, according to the deputies, was sitting in the playroom when the suspect slapped the victim in the back of the head and then walked away with him while holding him from one arm. Here is that surveillance video again, where Flores is accused of picking up a child and carrying him by one arm. Shortly after, deputies say she kicks the little boy to the side, causing him to fall on his face. Then when the children are put down for a nap, Detective Seiflores slaps the child, then puts her foot on top of him to keep him from moving. Another, a girl who Deputy Seiflores was observed

slapping in the stomach and jerking her up off the mat after she continued to move around during nap time. Listen to what happens when the staff realize there's more than one child involved here. You always have to view these cameras when it's the incident and review it from the beginning to the end. You know, so I've never invited here to accept my house because it just... Oh, she's not another kid. What the... Oh! What's the name of this child? What's the name of that kid? We're wearing yellow pants and a red shirt. Oh, red. Oh, man.

But it was like she just kicked him and rolled him over to that back to the back to the back She just did that that say move out the way That was the same little She just kicked like did a back kick to move him out the way and he rolled over on his stomach Yeah, yeah, yeah Just did it short is though see she see him crying She see him crying she's looking right at him see Do she know cameras in there?

Who's she talking to? I just asked this lady that, so sitting right here. Does this lady know there's cameras in there? I would assume that by now. Jazz, do we have all your teachers, no cameras in here? Oh yes, ma'am. She put him by the head. She pulled him by the head.

Oh! Look at that! She's holding him down. She's holding him down. Look at this. Make that up, Miss Torrey. Oh! Miss Torrey? Yes, ma'am. Oh my gosh, Miss Tori.

Damn. Jazz? What the hell is you doing? I got it up last minute. This is not good. Y'all need to look in this whole video. Like I'm fed up. And this at, we back it up to 1031. Watch this. No, no, no. Watch this.

She held this deal down by his hell. by his health. She yake his head. Oh, the same one? It's about a minute and a half. Yes, ma'am. What do we do? Well, it's up to, I know you, it's going to put you what we call a class one as, and I don't know what the charges or anything like that is going to be.

But you're more, you're going to have to worry with the parents more so in the officers. Our situation is not going to be as severe as what the deputies in things going to occur. Ms. Jasmine, so my major crimes detective is on the way. We have another major crimes detective, and they're going to take over from here. Okay. I mean, I fully expect Laura to be arrested. That timeline that you've given us, does it have any of this on there? That timeline is based off my, like, how I found out, how everything went about, what I know.

Oh, it's not from the video. Yeah, no. We're all finding, well, even from what I know, from the parent, the conversation of the parent, we're all finding this all together. Oh, wow. So you have no idea. We're all finding out together, even though. Oh, wow.

Yeah, the only thing I was aware of is the first video of the nap. the nap time where she was aggressively putting him down. Because she advised that that was... Because, and that's what we looked for. Okay. So, well, technically, I was looking for the piano thing. Right. Which I didn't find.

A few days later, the deputies catch up with Flores. Which one she's going to? Where in coming? I don't know. I'm going to get there like a brain. I'm sorry? Oh, I'm talking to my son. Okay.

And then back there. I'm going to be doing. My puppy. Oh wait, can you do where to put my car keys? In here? Yeah. Do you have anything else in your pockets? No, ma'am.

Can you double chat? Yeah. For a second. So here's my deal, okay? Obviously, you're turning to turn to you not to talk about it, okay? So don't speak, okay? I just want to let you know, okay, that we have, we watched a video, okay? And the conduct, both of us watched the video,

the conduct of what we saw at that daycare, just like that one day was beyond a poem, okay? You could have certainly hurt some kids, okay? I want you to take this time to let, okay? Because I think DC I was concerned about your own kid, okay? I know, my attorney told me, but I don't do it to my kids, I just had to... Yeah, yeah, don't give a statement, okay? No. That, that was, that everybody was very upset, okay?

Everybody seemed to like you, okay? But whatever happened that day, okay, you just got to watch yourself, okay? watch yourself okay okay thank you that's all I had to say yeah pretty big and I'm gonna take it for the ride this is nothing in the world okay you're not getting hit with like crazy stuff okay I just got from my kid my cat's right what I want your left foot oh thank you thank you that would have been catastrophic do you have a brown right now. Is it underwire?

Okay. That's all we're going to get for some for a second. Laura Flores was booked into the Marion County Jail on three felony counts of child abuse. She posted bail. The daycare center released a statement saying that Flores is no longer employed at that facility. When concerns were identified, we immediately reported the matter to the appropriate authorities and fully cooperated with the Department of Children and Families and the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

safety and well-being of the children in our care is the highest priority. Laura Flores will be back in court in June for a pretrial hearing. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Janette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.