Police: Abbeville daycare worker abused 4-year-old

Abbeville police say their investigation revealed that Kelley dragged the victim to the floor and exerted excessive force on December 6.
Abbeville police say their investigation revealed that Kelley dragged the victim to the floor and exerted excessive force on December 6.
Published: Dec. 29, 2022 at 3:49 PM CST
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ABBEVILLE, Ala. (WTVY) - An Abbeville daycare worker faces child abuse charges.

Maya Kearra Shante Kelley, 32, is accused of becoming violent with a four-year-old.

Arrested on Wednesday, she faces seven counts.

Abbeville police say their investigation revealed that Kelley dragged the victim to the floor and exerted excessive force on December 6.

She also made him stand in the corner while she yelled at him for several minutes, per an arrest document.

“We were able to review videos inside the daycare that confirm the incidents,” Abbeville Police Chief Eric Blankenship told WTVY News 4.

Arrest reports indicate the abuse occurred during a three-hour period and involved only the four-year-old who did not receive serious injuries.

Blankenship declined to identify the daycare, saying the owner cooperated with the investigation and had apparently been unaware of what had occurred.

Kelley, who resides in Clopton, posted bond, and was released from the Henry County Jail.

Alabama court records reveal she has no previous arrests in the state.

Because the daycare was not publicly identified, her employment status is unclear, though Blankenship believes she has been dismissed.

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