Second employee faces charges for duct taping child at N.Ky. day care

LUDLOW, Ky. - A second day care employee is being charged with criminal abuse after she was allegedly involved in duct taping a child to the floor at a Northern Kentucky day care.

Justina Rogers — a 20-year-old from Ludlow, Ky.— was charged with criminal abuse at a preliminary hearing on Feb. 22 for her alleged role in taping a then 18-month-old to a mat at Mustard Seeds Childcare, 318 Oak Street in Ludlow.

Rogers’ co-worker Alicia Lyons, 20, also faces criminal abuse charges after admitting to taping a child to a mat on his stomach. The incident happened in October, but wasn't investigated until a fellow worker told the mother of the victim who then contacted police in January.

Mustard Seeds Childcare said Lyons initially denied the allegation, but later admitted to the incident. Day care officials fired Lyons then notified police as well as Kentucky Office of the Inspector General, the state office in charge of regulating day care facilities.

Lyons was released from the Kenton County Jail after posting a $2,500 bond on Jan. 26.

Lyons and Rogers face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Officials have not yet said what Rogers' role in the duct taping may have been.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services issued an Emergency Suspension of Mustard Seeds Childcare's daycare license on Jan. 31 after police found out about the alleged abuse. Mustard Seeds Daycare facility in Ludlow is no longer in operation; however, its other two locations in Covington and Florence remain open.

Officials have not yet released information about when Lyons and Rogers will go back to court to answer for their charges.

Stay with 9 News and WCPO.com for updates as they become available.