A daycare worker in Georgia has been apprehended by authorities following allegations of inciting violence between two young siblings. The employee, Riffat Tahmin Khalil, was reportedly caught on surveillance footage at Discovery Zone Kids in Evans, coercing a 9-year-old and a 6-year-old into a physical altercation after one child had knocked the other to the ground.
The video evidence, reviewed by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, allegedly shows Khalil grabbing one of the children, forcefully swinging them into a chair, and shaking them with intensity. Subsequently, Khalil is said to have encouraged one sibling to strike the other with a chair.
The violent episode was brought to a halt only when another staff member intervened, removing one of the children from the room. The incident came to light when the children informed their parents that “the teacher Ms. Khalil made them fight,” as per an incident report.
Following the revelation, Khalil was promptly dismissed from her position at the daycare after the management reviewed the security footage. She was arrested last Monday and is currently being held at the Columbia County Jail.
Khalil faces three counts of cruelty to children. Her bond has been set at $75,300, according to court records. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of children in daycare facilities, highlighting the need for stringent hiring practices and regular monitoring of staff behavior.