Officials are investigating a report of child abuse at one of the child care centers at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
The incident happened on July 12 and was reported the next day, according to a statement from the 96th Test Wing. The investigation began July 13, officials said.
“The employee in question was immediately removed from the child development center and placed on administrative duties in a separate facility,” officials stated.
Pending the final report, she remains on administrative duties. The report will be available in the near future, according to a spokeswoman for the 96th Test Wing.
The employee allegedly put on a blue glove, then “pinched and pulled” a 3-year-old child’s tongue because she wouldn’t listen, said the child’s father, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tremayne Glover.
He said his son — the child’s twin brother — initially told him about the alleged incident the day it happened, and demonstrated to his father what happened. A video provided by Glover shows the incident, with the twin brother standing nearby. But, the employee’s back was between her and the child in the video, blocking her actions.
The incident occurred at Child Development Center 2, Glover said.
Glover said when he asked his daughter if anyone had hurt her that day, she initially said no. But when he asked if a teacher had hurt her, she said yes, he said.
After the employee walked away, the child can be seen crying, and her twin brother rushes over to hug and comfort her.
Glover informed officials at the child development center about the incident.
But when he and his wife learned that the caregiver was returning to the classroom, he said, they began to be concerned about their children, who remain at the center, and about the investigation, and have met with a number of different agencies to discuss their concerns, he said.
“There’s no way I can look at my daughter and think that I haven’t done everything I can to make sure this doesn’t happen to another child,” Glover said.
Glover said he is not speaking against the Air Force, and is proud of his service.
“But our children deserve better,” he said.
In a statement posted Aug. 25 on Facebook about the ongoing investigation, Eglin officials stated, “The 96th Test Wing is always committed to the care of our airmen and service members' children while under our supervision.”
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
