PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Clearwater Police are investigating a child abuse case at a local preschool.
Officials said a former employee at Kid City USA on McMullen Booth Road is being charged with nine counts of child abuse involving five different children.
Kim Kent is a childcare worker in Pinellas County. "Unfortunately, we hear too often. It’s always very disheartening to hear that somebody who people trusted with their most precious beings would harm them or want to harm them," said Kent.
Clearwater Police said officers were called to a preschool called Kid City USA about a month ago after an employee reported that 36-year-old Noel Michelle Savoy was handling children in a rough manner.
Related: Former childcare worker facing multiple child abuse charges, officials say
Officials said it all happened in the infant room where Savoy worked, and she was fired back in February.
Clearwater Police said Savoy is now being charged with nine counts of child abuse involving five children around the age of one.
"Probably should not have gotten into this business if they don’t have what it takes to love and care for the children, the entire time those children are with them," said Kent.
Savoy made her first appearance on Wednesday in court and is currently on a $45,000 bond.
Other local daycare owners said it’s critical to make sure administration is checking in on employees and making sure that everything is running smoothly and safely.
"To make sure that the staff are not reaching our limit, that they are happy every day, and that what they’re doing with the children is appropriate not just educationally, but the way that they’re handling them and speaking with them," said Kent.
Kent works at Magnolia Day School in Dunedin and said background checks are important.
"When somebody starts you do a five-year employment history check on them or you call everybody that they work for the last five years, being in childcare or not, and get some basic information, verify that they actually worked there, if they’re considered re-hirable or not," said Kent.
She also said it’s important to check on employee mental health.
"If somebody seems like they’re having a bad day or they seem a little stressed offering them a break you know just checking in on them to make sure everything’s right. Maybe seeing if they need to go home that day," said Kent.
She said her preschool reviews protocol and best practices regularly to ensure kids remain safe.
"Parents need to feel that they’re leaving their children in a safe place for eight to ten hours a day while they are working," said Kent.
