A former preschool trainer in Florida was billed with felony boy or girl abuse right after deputies reported she was observed continuously punching a 4-yr-previous boy or girl in the head earlier this 7 days.

Ashley Richards, 32, was arrested Wednesday at the Kindercare Understanding Heart in Dunedin, Florida soon after she was allegedly caught punching the youngster in the head additional than as soon as, authorities said.

A witness instructed the Pinellas County Sheriff's Business office that she heard screams coming from the playground when she looked in excess of and saw Richards punching with "both equally an open hand and a closed fist in the back again of the head and facet of the head," an arrest affidavit mentioned.

Ashley Richards, 32, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Aug. 10, 2022.  (Pinellas County Sheriff's Workplace)

The unknown witness also instructed deputies that she noticed Richards force the boy or girl to the floor, prompting the witness to pull out her cell mobile phone and begin filming the remainder of the conversation, authorities claimed.

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"Do you want me to strike you?" Richards can be read asking the 4-year-old in the recording, the affidavit claimed.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office environment deputies arrived at the scene and questioned equally Richards as well as the 4-year-previous.

Richards denied at any time hitting or hanging the kid, while she did confess to putting her hand in excess of his mouth to end him from laughing, the sheriff’s office environment said.

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The 4-yr-previous provided a various description of gatherings.

The boy or girl instructed deputies that Richards struck him "as a sort of punishment," hitting his head and eye after he was battling with his brother, in accordance to the arrest affidavit.

Kindercare Studying Center told WFTS the instructor was positioned on administrative depart "until eventually even more recognize" right before indicating the teacher had been fired amid an ongoing investigation.

"Nothing at all is far more critical to us than the security of the children in our care," Kindercare Studying Providers mentioned in the statement. "The teacher’s alleged steps do not reflect who we are or the training we present our academics. We are doing the job with the police to figure out what may possibly or may well not have transpired."

A Google Maps photograph of Kindercare Discovering Centre in Dunedin, Florida. (Google Maps)

Richards was originally booked into the Pinellas County Jail before she was introduced on a $5,000 bond, jail documents indicate.

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She was initially employed as a preschool instructor at Kindercare Studying Heart in March 2021.