Florida Daycare Worker Charged After 4 Toddlers Suffer Broken Legs On The Same Day

Cops say Christina Marie Curtis, 25, faces four felony counts stemming from the May 21 incident, and is banned from being alone with kids.

August 05, 2019
Mug shot of Christina Marie Curtis [Okaloosa County Jail]

Photo by: Mug shot of Christina Marie Curtis [Okaloosa County Jail]

Mug shot of Christina Marie Curtis [Okaloosa County Jail]

By: Mike McPadden

VALPARAISO, FL — A Florida daycare worker has been arrested and charged after four toddlers in her care suffered broken legs in a single day, according to law enforcement.

Christina Marie Curtis, 25, reportedly faces four felony counts of child neglect resulting in great bodily harm following the incident that took place on May 21 at Kids Discovery Learning Center in Valparaiso.

According to an arrest report, four boys, who ranged in age from 13 to 21 months old, were all “fine” when they were dropped off that day and assigned to the one-year-old classroom at the facility.

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

From there, the arrest document goes on: “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. 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.”

In addition, according to police, after one boy woke up from a nap, “The teacher attempted to place him on his feet, however, (he) was unable to bear weight on his legs.” The teacher then allegedly had to tell Curtis more than once to report the situation to the front desk.

Talking to The Panama City News Herald, Terika Graham, identified as the mother of one of the injured children, said she told Curtis to keep her son inside that day because he had a rash.

However, Graham said, her son was taken outside anyway, stating, “When I picked him up he had dirt all in his hair. I don’t know if they let him crawl around out there or what. It took the daycare three days to give me any kind of explanation.”

Graham’s child allegedly suffered a hairline fracture. She told the newspaper, “His balance is still a little funny, but I believe that will get better soon.”

The parents of another boy with a broken leg were reportedly informed that their son had fallen over one of his classmates.

The arrest report additionally notes that one of the toddlers appeared to have sustained a previous fracture around May 8, “shortly after the defendant began working in the class.”

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

Police said that Curtis was arrested on July 20 and let go the following day after she posted a $4,000 bond. Reportedly, the stipulations of Curtis’s release dictate that she is to have no unsupervised contact with any minor and that she cannot be employed at any schools or other child-care facilities.

Next Up

Judge Denies Florida Woman’s Request for a Lighter Sentence for Her Abductor

Kamiyah Mobley, 23, was a newborn in Florida when she was kidnapped by Gloria Williams who posed as a nurse and befriended Shanara Mobley, Kamiyah's biological mother.

‘In Pursuit With John Walsh’ And FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Michael Pratt Captured

On Dec. 23, the FBI confirmed they captured fugitive Michael Pratt in Spain. Pratt was arrested in connection with the operation of the GirlsDoPorn adult website.

Two Kidnapped Children Found Nearly One Year Later In Florida Supermarket

In February 2023, a routine vehicle tag check near a Winn-Dixie supermarket helped police locate the alleged kidnapper, 36-year-old Kristi Nicole Gilley, inside the store with the two children.

Inside The Tragic Hart Family Murder-Suicide Crash

Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California.

Amber Alert Activated More Than A Year After Tennessee Teen Vanishes

Daphne Westbrook was allegedly kidnapped in 2019 and found safe in May 2021.

5 Things You Need To Know About Susan Powell

In 2009, mother-of-two Susan Powell disappeared without a trace in West Valley City, Utah. Then in 2012, her husband Josh killed himself and their two sons after custody of the children was granted to Susan's parents.

Where Is Sabrina Aisenberg? Infant Vanished From Florida More Than 25 Years Ago

If you have any information about this mysterious case involving Sabrina Aisenberg, who was only five months old in 1997, please consider reaching out to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children directly: 1-800-THE-LOST.

Search For Missing Tennessee Girl Whose Aunt Also Disappeared In 2009 Continues

5-year-old Summer Wells disappeared in 2021, 12 years after her aunt, Rose Marie Bly, went missing. Reports suggest that the two unsolved cases are not connected.