An intern working at a day care in Spain reportedly captured video of employees mistreating toddlers in their care. The alleged incident occurred at Cascanueces Nursery in Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid. It prompted an investigation by authorities and the termination of multiple employees.
Now, the young woman responsible for turning footage over to police is speaking out. The intern, identified only as Nicole, gave a horrific account of alleged abuse to the Spanish news outlet Antena 3. According to the Daily Mail, Nicole told Antenna 3 that the day care setting initially seemed normal, but things changed dramatically at lunchtime.
“Before entering the dining room, the children would start crying, they would do many ugly things to them,” Nicole said. “They would force them to eat, they would choke them, they would grab them. They threatened 1-year-olds that they were going to eat food off the floor.”
Nicole shared the video with her mother, who then took it to the police. In the video shared on YouTube, an employee slams a toddler against the wall while yelling at him.
“Don’t spit out your food!” She scrams in Spanish then says, “I’m so sick of you.” Additionally, the day care employee allegedly threatened the child and told him if he vomited, he was f—ed.
Later, police arrested four employees from Cascanueces, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported, per EuroWeekly News. Two of those employees face charges of child abuse. The others face charges of failing to report child abuse and failing to assist the victim.
Following a court appearance, a former employee spoke outside the courthouse, ranting with little remorse, the Daily Mail reported.
“It’s your f—ing fault. I’m on the street, I have two daughters to support and a mortgage to pay,” she allegedly said.
El Mundo shared the footage on YouTube, and many commented in disbelief.
In a comment translated from Spanish to English, one woman wrote: “I am a mother, and I ask for prison for these people, never to practice their profession again and a fine. Let them be penalized for many years in prison. They are defenseless human beings, they are angels, by God what kind of people are you to do that with children. For me you are monsters.”
Another person wrote in a translated comment, “If it were my daughter, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTS, truly NOOOOO.”
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
