Background: The Learning Experience daycare in St. Charles, Illinois (WBBM/YouTube). Inset: Yizel Juarez (St. Charles Police Department).
An Illinois daycare educator is facing allegations of providing laxatives to toddlers, misleading them into believing they were receiving candy.
Yizel Juarez, aged 23, faces three charges each for attempted aggravated battery resulting in bodily harm to minors under 13 and for risking the welfare or health of a child, both considered misdemeanors.
The St. Charles Police Department reported that on Tuesday at approximately 9:45 a.m., they received reports from “multiple parents” whose children at The Learning Experience daycare in St. Charles had allegedly been given chewable laxatives by a teacher.
Officers promptly launched an investigation, confirming the incidents had indeed taken place, according to the police statement.
The children involved in the incident were all 2 years old or younger, as noted by law enforcement officials.
Following the investigation, Juarez was identified as the suspect. After consulting with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office, the authorities filed charges against her. Juarez subsequently surrendered to the police and was later released from custody.
“My child was still suffering from constipation, which the doctor said it was gonna be a side effect of the laxatives, of coming off of laxatives” one of the affected children’s parents told Chicago-based CBS affiliate WBBM. Her child was just 17 months old.
The parent reportedly added that her child has been suffering from diarrhea for two months, and doctor visits and switching the toddler’s formula did not fix the problem.
“We thought it could have been a virus, and that was negative,” the mother added. “We found out from the director that she had fired her employee because she allegedly was giving them these laxatives and saying that it was candy so that they could get sent home because she was overwhelmed.”
“It’s disgusting. Get another job then,” the mother added, according to the regional outlet.
Police said Juarez has an upcoming court date, though it is presently unclear when exactly that appearance is scheduled.
Police are asking anyone else with information about the alleged crimes to come forward and speak with them.
