STARKE, Fla. — The Starke Police Department and Department of Children and Families are investigating Bradford Preschool & Daycare due to a video shared online.
In that video, you can hear an adult say, “I’ll put my hand right around your neck and choke slam you” outside in the center’s playground.
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The staff member who recorded the video asked to remain anonymous but claimed a teacher said this to a student at the school.
The mother of the apparent student said, “My kid is safe now. I pulled him out, and I know he’s safe. But I want those other kids safe as well. I don’t want them to go through the same thing and be terrified and have nightmares like my son did.”
Taylor Williams’ said she pulled her son, 4-year-old Zachariah, from the program after learning about the allegations.
Her 5-year-old, Elijah, was also in the program for two years.
”Pure anger. Disappointment. Just appalled,” Williams said after the video surfaced. Now she’s taking it to police.
In a statement to Action News Jax, a representative for Starke PD said, “There is an active investigation into allegations made concerning incidents that occurred at the Bradford Preschool. We will not be making any comment further in order to preserve the investigation.”
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Police told us to direct further questions to DCF. The agency is currently processing our request.
The video has been shared on social media and now has more than 300 comments.
Action News Jax’s Robert Grant spoke with Robyn Bryant, one of the managers at the facility. She said the video shows an exchange between a mother and her child and that no staff member is involved.
While she turned down an on-camera interview, she showed Grant around the facility and claimed all allegations are false.
Action News Jax found four other violations since 2018, including improper record-keeping, incomplete training and play equipment that was not maintained in a safe or sanitary manner.
Bradford Preschool & Learning Center has been open for 35 years.
Williams said she wants to see it shut down.
”They poked the wrong momma bear this time, and I won’t let it go until them children are safe,” she said.
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