Day care worker accused of kicking toddler

GERMANTOWN (WPVI) -- Jessica Rasley, the mother of a young boy, left the District Attorney's Office Thursday seeking the arrest of a day care worker she says physically abused her son.

Her son has been in day care at Brightside Academy in Germantown for two months, but when she arrived to pick young Nasir up Tuesday evening she was hit with a disturbing story from a fellow mother.

The woman told Rasley, and now police, she saw a worker slam Nasir to the floor then kick him in the stomach.

"She grabbed my son by the hoodie and kicked him three times while he was on the floor, but she was on the phone while she did it," Rasley said.

Detectives are now investigating the accusations against the still unnamed Brightside employee.

The witness also has a child who goes to the day care, as well.

"By her account, pushed the child to the ground, a toddler, a little over two years old, and kicked the youngster at least twice," Philadelphia Police Captain John Darby said.

A spokesperson for Brightside Academy told Action News by phone that "child safety and welfare are their top priorities" and they are "conducting their own in-house investigation" in addition to cooperating with Philadelphia police and state licensing agencies.

A corporate spokesperson for Brightside Academy confirms that the employee in question has been suspended pending the outcome of all these multi-pronged investigations.