DENHAM SPRINGS – Livingston Parish daycare directors self-reported questionable actions of an employee who has since been arrested and charged with cruelty to juveniles.

Janice Felder, 57, was booked into the Livingston Parish jail Wednesday evening after an incident earlier in the week.

Parents said they noticed a bruise on their child and after complaining to the daycare, operators reviewed classroom video and noticed what they thought was Felder acting rough with children in her care.

The daycare, Don Avenue Baptist Daycare, said the cameras in the classrooms record and are reviewed often. They took swift action to review the footage and address Felder’s actions, a director said in a phone conversation with WBRZ Friday.

Bosses at the daycare said they were disturbed by how Felder handled some of the children – roughly touching or moving them into seats and reported the incidents per licensing policy to the Department of Children and Family Services. Parents decided to file charges against the daycare worker.

Directors say Felder has been employed by the daycare since February of 2020.

Felder was charged with two felony counts of cruelty to juveniles and has since been released.