A 36-year-old Florida day care worker, Kaitlyn Pitzer, is accused of abusing an 11-year-old child with disabilities. Allegedly, she smeared cake icing on the child’s face and applied hand sanitizer to their open wounds caused by a previous push.
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According to a release issued by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), the incident occurred on October 9. At around 3 p.m., HCSO deputies responded to Tender Care PPEC (Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care) after receiving a report of possible child abuse.
Upon arrival, deputies reviewed video surveillance of one of Tender Care’s classrooms. It showed Pitzer and another aide trying to bandage a child’s forehead. As the child, 11, sat on the floor, Pitzer allegedly pushed on the child’s forehead. This caused their body to “jerk backward in a manner that appeared violent and excessive,” the HCSO said.
Then, the HCSO detailed that Pitzer began “taunting the child with a piece of cake.” The child reached out for the cake, and their finger swiped some of the icing. Frustrated, Pitzer allegedly smeared and “aggressively rubbed” the icing on the kid’s face. Then, she is accused of forcefully wiping the icing with a wet paper towel.
Two minutes later, as per the HCSO, Pitzer grabbed the child and brought them to a “wall-mounted hand sanitizer dispenser.” She allegedly applied hand sanitizer to the child’s open wounds on their arms, and the 11-year-old ran in distress.
The child’s parents expressed their concern when they also reviewed the footage.
“The parent advised that the force used to shove the child backward could have caused serious injury due to pre-existing medical conditions,” the HCSO said. “The parent also reported that scabbed injuries, which had been in the process of healing, began bleeding again after the incident.”
Alleged Admission
Kaitlyn Pitzer was found in her Hernando County residence and was taken into custody. She allegedly admitted to being frustrated that day and said that her behavior was “inappropriate.”
Pitzer thought that smearing cake icing on the child’s cake was icing was “funny” at the time and stated that she knew that applying hand sanitizer on the child’s injuries would cause pain, the HCSO said. She, however, allegedly said that she “did not care at the time.”
The HCSO detailed that the 11-year-old child had unspecified documented medical conditions, making them a vulnerable victim.
Pitzer was arrested and charged wtih child abuse. She is being held at the Hernando County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond.
Tender Care PPEC issued a statement on October 14. The facility said that they have fully cooperated with law enforcement and that Pitzer was terminated and “banned from ever setting foot on the premises.”