An Illinois daycare worker, Anna Petrou, 58, has been taken into custody on charges of child endangerment. The charges stem from an incident where she allegedly left a 4-year-old boy in her care in a cold outdoor corridor and later placed him in a trash can. The incident took place at The Learning Lab Preschool & Childcare in Homewood.
According to the Homewood Police Department, Petrou left the child outside for about 20 seconds after he refused to take a nap. The incident happened on the afternoon of January 13, with temperatures around 19 degrees. Surveillance footage from the daycare center reportedly shows Petrou bringing the child back inside and placing him in an empty garbage bin as a form of punishment. This act was carried out in front of other children and staff members.
The boy’s parents reported the incident to the police after picking up their son from the daycare center that day. The mother, Monica Forte, expressed her shock and distress upon viewing the surveillance footage. She criticized Petrou, who claimed her actions were a joke, for her failure to handle the situation appropriately. Forte has stated that her children will not be returning to the daycare center and she is contemplating legal action.
The boy’s father, Justin Barnes, also expressed his concern about the incident and its potential impact on his son. Petrou has been charged with endangering the life of a child, a misdemeanor, and has been released from custody pending a future court date.
In addition to Petrou’s arrest, another employee was dismissed from the daycare center for failing to intervene during the incident. The Learning Lab has stated that they are cooperating fully with the family, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the Homewood police. They have also shared additional information that came to light, which they believe warrants further investigation and possible action against the individual involved.