An investigation was launched into possible abuse by a caregiver who was caught on video allegedly hitting a special-needs child at a Lancaster park, authorities said Tuesday.
Video of the alleged abuse, which the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said occurred around 4:30 p.m. Friday at Tierra Bonita Park in the 44900 block of 27th Street East, was posted on social media. It shows a 9-year-old girl, whose mother reported the alleged abuse on Sunday, apparently being struck by a caregiver multiple times.
The mother of the child told NBCLA that the 9-year-old girl is autistic, non-verbal and has cerebral palsy. The mother, Ashley L. Holmes, said she filed a police report and that she found out about the alleged abuse through the Child Care Resource Center.
"The initial investigation by Lancaster Station patrol deputies indicate that the adult seen striking the child in the video is the day care provider of the child," according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department statement. "The day care facility is located in the city of Palmdale."
Detectives with the LASD Special Victims Bureau are investigating the case in conjunction with the California Department of Community Care and Licensing and the Department of Children and Family Services.
