Day care owner arrested
By SHARON KERR Staff writer

The Jasper County Sheriff's Department arrested an owner-operator of a daycare facility in Kirbyville for injury to a child last week.

Jessica Williams, 30, of Kirbyville was arrested for allegedly beating a threeyear old girl with a fly swatter for wetting her pants, according to Capt. Stacey Chambers. Williams is the owner-operator of All God's Children daycare.

The parents reported severe bruising, abrasions and whelps to Deputy Kenny Stanley.

Chambers, Stanley and Deputy Todd Y'Barbo served the arrest warrant and collected the fly swatter, shaped like a hand, as evidence. Bond was set at $10,000.

Chambers said the state licensing board will conduct their own investigation of the facility.

Shari Pulliam, spokesperson for the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) confirmed that the CCL (Child Care Licensing) investigators are investigating the abuse charges.

The daycare is closed until the investigation is completed and the findings are made, according to Pulliam, and if Williams is found guilty she will be unable to work with children in the future.

All God's Children was first issued a full permit Sept. 16, 2004, and inspected as recently as August, 2007, when no violations were found.

Pulliam said when a daycare submits an application, background checks are made, and during the initial permit for six months the facility is inspected at least three times.

After that, the CCL continues to monitor and inspect every six to nine months. Any parent can pull up inspection reports on a licensed daycare or homecare provider at www.dfps.state.tx.us.

"Starting Sept. 1, all daycare directors and employees must have an FBI fingerprint back check done," Pulliam said.