A chilling horror unfolded at Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, Georgia, where a daycare worker allegedly viciously attacked a brand-new 1-year-old enrollee on his very first day, and the evidence is jaw-dropping.
The shocking footage, which the boy’s father, U.S. Marine Cory Weeks, viewed alongside public safety officers, “was not for the faint-hearted,” he wrote, reflecting the horror in his own words. The surveillance video left no room for doubt and pushed authorities to charge 54-year-old Yvette Thurston with one count of first-degree aggravated battery and three counts of first-degree child abuse.
Weeks shared haunting photos of his toddler son, Clay, sporting a black eye, swelling, and scratches, a sacred reminder of the trauma done on what should have been a joyful milestone, his first day of daycare.
The family had initially been told another child might have caused the damage, with a plastic toy, no less. But once Weeks saw the video, it was all too clear that the explanation did not hold up.
Social media exploded in outrage when Weeks went public, writing on Facebook, “This person is in custody due to the evidence through video surveillance that myself,” adding, “Nothing we saw was for the faint-hearted, especially happening to such an innocent soul.” Emotions boiled when he slammed the daycare, “We trusted this facility to care and love our kids, and on their FIRST DAY that was violated… There will be more coming from this, and we will make sure nothing is ‘swept under the rug.’”
He added, “Monday was DAY ONE of our two boys Wyatt (3) and Clay (1) attending Little Blessings (A CHURCH CHILDCARE FACILITY). I will not go into details regarding the incident at this time, instead I will allow the picture of our baby boy do the talking. Again, this was his FIRST DAY!!! This is every parents’ worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it. Questioning the incident was an inconvenience for the person in custody for the horrible acts she did, and also the pastor, while watching the video footage. We were told another child in Clay’s class did this type of damage with a plastic toy. This person is in custody due to the evidence through video surveillance that myself, along with members of BPS sat through and watched. Nothing we saw was for the faint hearted, especially happening to such an innocent soul.”
Thurston bonded out over the weekend on a $44,000 bond, and trust is now officially shattered. The judge in the case has reportedly received death threats over the bond decision.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, DECAL, is stepping in, coordinating closely with law enforcement and launching its own investigation into the troubling allegations at the church-affiliated daycare.
Meanwhile, civil emotions are running high. Weeks, and many in his shoes, will not let this slide. What should have been a secure, nurturing setting for little Clay turned into a living nightmare, and the family is now laser-focused on securing justice and a safer future for other children.
This case is a grim reminder that vigilance is vital, especially around the most vulnerable. With a father’s heartbreak displayed online, legal charges handed down, and a public outcry reverberating across the internet, Little Blessings Child Care’s darkest hour has become a rallying cry for accountability.
Will accountability follow, or will this story end as a cautionary tale in the family’s drive to make sure no child, or parent, ever suffers similarly, unseen and unheard? The investigation continues, and for Weeks and Clay, the fight for justice has just begun.
