Hamilton

Daycare worker charged after young child choked, assaulted in Niagara Falls, police say

Niagara police say the accused worked at two daycares and there may be more victims.

Police say the child was under the age of 5 years old and attended Way To Grow Daycare

brick building with way to grow daycare sign
Way To Grow Daycare is located at 6142 Valley Wy. in Niagara Falls, Ont. (Google Maps)

A daycare employee has been arrested and charged after allegedly choking and assaulting a young child in Niagara Falls, police say.

A 26-year-old man who worked at Way To Grow Daycare was charged with aggravated assault on Tuesday, says the Niagara Regional Police Service in a news release. 

On Friday at around 1:33 p.m., detectives began investigating the "serious assault" of a child under the age of five years old while in the care of Way To Grow, say police.

"The child sustained injuries as a result of the incident," police say. 

The employee was held in custody pending a bail hearing at the St. Catharines' courthouse Wednesday. 

Police say there may be more victims

He also worked at Niagara Nursery School & Child Care Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

"Detectives have reason to believe there may be more victims," the news release says.

"Anyone who may have information, or if anyone suspects their child may have been a victim of an assault at these locations, is asked to contact detectives." 

According to the accused's LinkedIn profile, he's been a registered early childhood educator for three years. 

Neither child care centre responded to requests for comment before publication. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Beattie is a reporter for CBC Hamilton. She has also worked for CBC Toronto and as a Senior Reporter at HuffPost Canada. Before that, she dived into local politics as a Toronto Star reporter covering city hall.