LAKE CITY, Fla. — A Lake City daycare worker remains in jail, accused of abusing an infant so severely that the child is still recovering in the hospital more than two weeks later.
Police say 30-year-old Alyssa Thompson worked at the Wee Care Too daycare center before she was fired and arrested. Investigators say surveillance video captured two separate incidents in April, and the details outlined in Thompson’s arrest report are graphic.
READ: Lake City daycare worker arrested for child abuse, police say
On April 20th, officers were called to the daycare for an unresponsive child. When they arrived, they found a baby girl in crisis. Police say she was having seizures, was lethargic, and had a fever.
After reviewing surveillance footage from earlier that day, investigators say Thompson was seen forcefully tossing the baby into a bouncy chair, causing the child to hit her head on a metal bar. Later, police say she snatched the infant out of a crib and dropped her onto a changing table from a height that caused the child’s head to bounce again.
According to the arrest report, after changing the baby, Thompson picked her up and realized the child was limp and not moving. That’s when police say she ran out of the room to get help.
But investigators say that was not the first time.
Surveillance footage from April 13th shows what police describe as another violent incident. In that video, Thompson was seen ramming the child’s head into a wooden rail and tossing her onto a changing table, again causing the baby’s head to bounce multiple times. At one point, police say the child’s body appeared so limp that she was hanging out of a chair with her head thrown back, staring at the ceiling with a blank gaze.
Thompson is now charged with aggravated child abuse and remains in jail without bond. As of the latest update from police, the child is still hospitalized and recovering from her injuries.
State inspection reports from the Department of Children and Families reveal a troubling history at the facility, including multiple incidents involving aggressive behavior by staff.
A report from February shows an employee was cited for interacting with children in what was described as an “aggressive, demeaning, or intimidating” manner. The daycare director reviewed video footage and fired that employee, while requiring additional training for the remaining staff.
In July 2025 and May 2024, the daycare was cited again for violating a state law that prohibits any form of discipline that is severe, humiliating, or frightening. Records show that the employee involved in the 2024 incident was fired, while the employee in the 2025 case was only required to complete two training courses.
Inspection reports also show the daycare was cited for unsanitary conditions, including a trash can lid and a pacifier placed on a diaper changing table, as well as a violation involving a child with expired immunization records.
When Action News Jax reached out to the daycare about those violations, the facility did not respond to questions.
On its Facebook page, the daycare acknowledged Thompson’s arrest, saying she had only been employed there for three months and had received what it described as a very strong recommendation. The center also said, “it is committed to doing what is right for children and the community.”
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
