Toddler girl ‘jerked … snatched, slung,’ records state; 2 Shelby County daycare workers charged

Two Shelby County daycare workers have been arrested on charges of abuse of a toddler girl in their care.

Tanya Teresa Lapsley, 56, and Wanda Hearn Henderson, 63, are charged with aggravated child abuse, according to court records made public Friday.

Authorities said the women were employed at Milestone Academy & Childcare in Montevallo. Efforts to reach officials for comment were not immediately successful.

The charges involve one victim – a 2-year-old 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.

Both women were booked into the Shelby County Jail Thursday with bond set at $180,000 each.

Investigators ask that anyone with additional information or any potential victims call Montevallo police Sgt. Pete Reese at 205-665-1264.