Inset, left to right: Jessica Murillo and Izabella Thompson (Des Plaines Police Department). Background: A Mother”s Touch Learning Academy in Des Plaines, Ill (Google Maps).
Two daycare workers in Illinois have been arrested following allegations of child abuse captured on video. The two employees, Jessica Murillo, 36, and Izabella Thompson, 23, reportedly used a notebook and other items to hit the children, slapped them, and dragged them across the floor. This week, both women were taken into custody and now face multiple charges related to these accusations.
Murillo is facing three felony counts of aggravated battery, along with 12 misdemeanor counts of battery for making physical contact deemed insulting or provoking. Thompson is charged with four misdemeanor counts of battery for similar allegations.
The two were employed at A Mother’s Touch Learning Academy, located on the 1600 block of Rand Road in Des Plaines, roughly 15 miles northwest of Chicago. The reported incidents of abuse occurred between early and mid-November, as detailed in a news release from the Des Plaines Police Department.
The investigation kicked off after a parent raised concerns with the daycare’s directors about an incident where a childcare worker allegedly sprayed a child in the face with water. In response, the directors initiated an internal probe, which included an immediate review of surveillance footage and notifying the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. Both Murillo and Thompson were suspended from their positions at the facility.
“The directors continued their investigation and uncovered further video evidence showing Murillo and Thompson physically abusing multiple children between November 3 and November 19, 2025,” the police noted in their statement. On November 24, 2025, the daycare directors, alongside a parent, reported the findings to the Des Plaines Police Department.
The police investigation revealed that Murillo and Thompson allegedly abused a total of seven boys, all aged between 4 and 5. While the nature of the abuse varied, police reported that none of the children sustained severe injuries or required medical treatment.
The charges against Murillo involve allegations of her “striking a child in the face with a notebook, dragging a 4-year-old male across the floor by his foot (causing his head to strike the ground), and striking another child in the face multiple times with an open hand.” She is currently scheduled to make her first appearance at the Second District Municipal Court in Skokie on Wednesday.
Police did not include any specifics about the allegations against Thompson. She is currently scheduled to appear in court on March 30.
“Our hearts go out to the children and families affected by this troubling case,” Des Plaines Police Chief David Anderson said in a statement. “This was a painful breach of trust by individuals entrusted with the care of young children. I want to thank the directors and staff of A Mother’s Touch Day Care for acting quickly, alerting authorities, and fully cooperating with our investigators.”
