Florida Teacher Accused of Child Abuse

(Brevard County, Florida) A 24-year-old teacher at Mustard Seed Kidz Preschool in West Melbourne, Laura Elyse Negron, was arrested yesterday for allegedly abusing at least three toddlers.

She faces three counts of felony child abuse.

After detectives reviewed surveillance video of the classroom for 3-year-olds, four children were determined to be victims during the incident Thursday, but the parents of only three of them decided to press charges.

According to jail documents, Negron "violently jerked" three of the victims, lifted one off the ground, grabbed a child by the chin and kicked a chair at another. Officer Mark Brackett of the West Melbourne Police Department said none of the children had any "visible, physical injuries."

A grandmother of a child not involved in the case reported the incident to school officials.

Negron was booked into custody at the Brevard County Detention Center with bond set at $24,000.