Four toddlers suffer fractured legs at Florida day care center in one day. Worker faces four felony child neglect charges, banned from being around children without supervision.

VALPARAISO — When four little boys suffered broken legs on the same day at the same day care center, police launched an investigation.

Two months later they have arrested center employee Christina Marie Curtis and charged her with four felony counts of neglect of a child that resulted in great bodily harm.

An arrest report states that all four of the toddlers were fine on the morning of May 21 when they were dropped off at the Kids Discovery Learning Center on John Sims Parkway.

“Upon returning to pick them up in the afternoon, the children were showing signs of distress and could not stand or walk,” the report said. “The children were medically evaluated and each was diagnosed with fractures to their legs.”

The toddlers ranged in age from 13 to 21 months old and were assigned to the 1-year-old class at the day care center.

Terika Graham said she had placed her son in day care at the Kids Discovery Learning Center because she was in the late stages of pregnancy and the facility had no waiting list.

She said she'd instructed Curtis to leave her son inside on the day he was injured because he was suffering from a rash, but the child was taken outside anyway.

"When I picked him up he had dirt all in his hair," she said. "I don't know if they let him crawl around out there or what. It took the day care three days to give me any kind of explanation."

Her child suffered a hairline fracture and was the least injured of the four toddlers, Graham said. He seems to be healing well.

"His balance is still a little funny, but I believe that will get better soon," Graham said.

Surveillance footage showed Curtis, 25, walking with one of the victims, an 18-month-old, while holding his hands above his head.

“The defendant stopped and quickly moved her hands to (his) upper arms and rapidly jerked him into the air,” the report said. “When (he) was picked up, his feet and legs were in the air and was dropped feet first into a wagon. Other children were placed in the wagon and it was pulled outside.”

Footage showed that when the child awoke from a nap that followed the wagon ride “the teacher attempted to place him on his feet, however, (he) was unable to bear weight on his legs.”

The teacher had to instruct Curtis several times to contact the day care center’s front desk about the injury, the report said.

One of the children injured on May 21 was noted to have suffered another leg fracture. It was believed the first break had been sustained around May 8, “shortly after the defendant began working in the class,” the report said.

The family of a third victim was told he had fallen over another child.

“The defendant denied knowing how the injuries occurred and believed they could have happened either at home or in the playground,” the report said. “She has observed several children fall out of playground cars or other items.”

Kids Discovery Learning Center staff said Friday an owner would be contacted to provide comment from the day care's perspective. The owner did not immediately respond.

Curtis, a Fort Walton Beach resident, was arrested July 20 and released the next day after posting a $4,000 bond.

Terms of her release state Curtis is to have no unsupervised contact with any minor and that she cannot be employed at child care facilities or schools.

Valparaiso Police Chief Joe Hart declined comment on the investigation and arrest.