2 ex-Shelby County daycare workers indicted after toddler girl ‘jerked .. snatched, slung’

Two form Shelby County daycare workers have been indicted on charges of abuse of at least one child in their care.

The indictments by a Shelby County grand jury against Tanya Teresa Lapsley, 57, and Wanda Hearn Henderson, 64, were made public Thursday.

The six-count indictment against Lapsley, of Marion, includes charges of aggravated child abuse and willful child abuse.

Henderson, of Pleasant Gove, is charged with six counts of willful child abuse.

The victim or victims’ names are redacted in the indictments so it’s unclear whether there was more than one victim for which they are charged.

Both women were initially arrested in April 2024.

At the time, they were employed at Milestone Academy & Childcare in Montevallo.

The initial charges identified a victim only a 2-year-girl with a listed offense date of Feb. 13.

Henderson, of Pleasant Grove, “forcibly jerked, pulled, snatched, slung the 2-year-old victim around causing bruises and marks while having custody of her inside the daycare facility,” according to charging documents.

Lapsley, documents state, “forcibly pulled, jerked, snatched, and tugged at the victim leaving marks and bruises. This was done while the defendant was caring for the victim inside a daycare.”

The criminal complaint said the alleged abuse happened on more than one occasion.

An arraignment date has not been announced.