Day care teacher guilty of running 'baby fight club' She allegedly abused toddlers for her amusement

Virginia teacher Sarah Jordan was found guilty of abusing toddlers in the "Monkey Room" of her day care center. Virginia teacher Sarah Jordan was found guilty of abusing toddlers in the "Monkey Room" of her day care center. Photo: Prince William County Police Dept. Photo: Prince William County Police Dept. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Day care teacher guilty of running 'baby fight club' 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

MANASSAS, Va. — A Virginia day care teacher who turned her classroom into what a prosecutor called a "baby fight club" has been convicted on more than a dozen criminal charges.

A Prince William County judge Wednesday convicted 31-year-old Sarah Jordan of Woodbridge on 13 felony and misdemeanor counts, including child cruelty, and assault and battery. She was found not guilty on four counts.

Jordan was the lead teacher in a Minnieland Academy class of 16-month to 2-year-old toddlers dubbed "The Monkey Room" in Woodbridge.

Witnesses testified that Jordan intentionally tripped children, encouraged them to fight each other and sprayed them in the face with a hose.

Jordan testified Wednesday in her own defense and denied the accusations. She said she occasionally used the hose to sprinkle kids with water but never tried to hurt them.

The allegations against Jordan were raised in a September 2013 report by the Virginia Department of Social Service after a coworker called child protective services. The report accused Jordan and fellow Minnieland Academy teacher Kierra Spriggs of abusing the children for their own amusement over six months.

Among the accusations:

The pair initiated fights between the toddlers and tried to get them to bite each other.

Kids fearful of water would be dunked into wading pools.

Jordan and Spriggs would feed the kids Flamin' Hot Cheetos.

The coworker, Desiree Edwards, testified Monday she saw Jordan intentionally trip a running child and then laugh. In another "Monkey Room" incident, Jordan dumped water on a little girl's head, making her cry, Edwards said.

The abuse caused profound behavioral changes in some of the children, according to NBC Washington. Parents said their children — once happy little kids — became aggressive, exhibited a fear of water or even stopped talking altogether.

Some refused to bathe, according to their parents, and most cried when they were dropped off at the center.

One dad, Adam Smith, testified that his daughter "completely stopped talking" once she was in Jordan's care.

"She would stomp her mom's feet. She would run in and slap us for no apparent reason and start giggling," Smith told NBC Washington.