Former Minneapolis day care worker charged for slapping toddler

MINNEAPOLIS — A 20-year-old man is accused of slapping a young child at a Minneapolis day care last summer, according to a complaint filed in Hennepin County on Monday.

The man from Golden Valley is facing one count of malicious punishment of a child.

The investigation started in May after Brooklyn Park police became aware of a video being shared by students at Park Center High School of a man slapping a 3-year-old boy in the face "without any other provocation," charges say.

In the video, the toddler allegedly grabs his cheek, steps back and tells the man the slap hurt.

"The toddler's demeanor changed from happy and cheerful to confused and hurt when he was assaulted," the complaint states.

Investigators connected the video to an Instagram account belonging to the suspect.

In June, investigators determined the incident took place at the University of Minnesota's KinderCare located at 525 Huron Blvd.

The former director of the day care told police the suspect had worked at there sometime between April or May and August of 2023.

Charges say the suspect told police he had seen the video but denied that it was him in it. He also said he was the only male staff member during his tenure.

After detectives showed the suspect the video, he told them he was not trying to be "malicious" and only used three fingers for the slap. He could not explain why he slapped the child, the complaint says.

He allegedly went on to say he had the video saved to his phone and accidentally sent it to a group chat, which is how the video got passed around.

The suspect's bail has been set at $6,000 with conditions.