Salem Police arrested and charged a daycare worker at Salem HoneyTree.
Shawn Nowlin shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
In addition to receiving a battery summons, a Salem daycare teacher at the HoneyTree Early Learning Center has also been charged with simple assault. Jay’Neva Franklin, 21, allegedly struck a child under six on February 4.
The Salem Police Department got a formal complaint from the child’s mother that day stating that “an adult female teacher assaulted her son while he was under the instructor’s care at the center.” According to city officials, the child was neither hurt or requirement medical attention.
Angela Sellers, a Roanoke County resident, said all four of her children attended the Salem HoneyTree, located in the 2000 block of Roanoke Boulevard, in the 1990s. When she heard the news, Sellers said her stomach dropped.
“I understand that being a daycare teacher can be stressful at times. I get that in a visceral sense. There is never an excuse to strike a child though,” Sellers said. “I don’t have anything against the young lady personally. I hope she learns from this situation, but I don’t think she should be working with kids right now.”
Because she promised to appear in court at a later date, Franklin was released. Attempts to contact her for comment were unsuccessful. The HoneyTree Early Learning Center had no comment when they were asked.