LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A former Henderson daycare worker accused of child abuse appeared in court Wednesday morning.
An arrest warrant was issued in late may for Heather Heifner, who is accused of abusing 3-year-old Lilly while working at DJ’s Christian Daycare. Lawyers representing Heifner have asked a judge to quash, or dismiss, the warrant and instead arrange house arrest for her while the case plays out.
Justice of the Peace Barbara Schifalacqua was not able to rule on the warrant but ordered Heather Heifner to avoid contact with Lilly and her family and any daycare or babysitting jobs.
The arrest warrant notes that Heifner placed 3-year-old Lily in “situations of immediate danger,” including “grabbing” Lily by one arm and aggressively jerking or pulling her up off the ground. Heifner is also accused of swinging the girl by her arm “almost causing [her] to strike a desk” before dropping her back onto the floor.”
In a surveillance video obtained by investigators, Heifner can also be seen grabbing Lily by her armpits and shaking her.
“She justifies her behavior because she was stressed out… she yanked her, yanked her neck back. She could have really hurt her. She could have dislocated her shoulder…,” Lily’s mother, Kayla Zomerdyk told FOX5 in May. “…Then she takes her outside around the corner so we don’t see on video what happens, but my daughter starts screaming and yelling, so after seeing the video I knew I wanted to move forward with pressing charges against the teacher.”
During the hearing, Zomerdyk also expressed to Justice Schifalacqua that she wanted to see Heifner behind bars and urged to judge to watch the surveillance video of the incident.
FOX5 also reported on another instance of child abuse at the preschool, during which a mother reported finding hand-shaped bruises along her 1-year-old daughter’s body.
The director of DJ’s Preschool told FOX5 that Heifner was fired the same day that Lily’s parents reported the incident to police. She added that incidents of child abuse are not something the daycare takes lightly.
Heifner is currently facing three counts of felony child abuse. She is due back in court for a bail hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
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