Sacked Daycare Employee Faces Criminal Charges for 'Aggressive Interaction' With Baby

An 18-year-old former daycare worker in Boise, Idaho, is facing four felony counts of injury to a child after allegedly assaulting several infants, including a five-month-old who suffered broken bones and brain injuries.

Maria 'Mia' Ackerman was arrested following an investigation into alleged abuse at New Horizon Academy on East Boise Avenue. Prosecutors have described disturbing incidents captured on surveillance footage, while the childcare provider says it is co-operating with authorities.

Ackerman Accused of Infant Abuse

Boise Police said the alleged incident involving the five-month-old took place on 26 October. Ackerman, who had worked at the facility since spring, was immediately sent home and prohibited from returning after staff observed what the company described as an 'aggressive interaction with a child'.

The daycare reported the incident to police and licensing agencies and notified families. Ackerman was arrested on 29 October and booked into Ada County Jail.

Investigators subsequently found evidence suggesting her alleged actions towards the infant and three other babies could have caused 'great bodily harm or death', police said. Parents of the additional children were notified, and medical attention was being sought.

At her arraignment, Ada County deputy prosecutor Joshua Haws outlined a series of allegations, including violently shaking an infant, covering a baby's nose or mouth, striking a child with closed fists and open hands, and grabbing or squeezing infants around their heads and necks.

He also alleged that one unsecured infant fell from a changing table. Ackerman allegedly sat the child upright before walking away without checking for injuries.

'The worst of it being 35 seconds of straight shaking of that child, though the whole shaking incident lasted over a minute,' Haws said.

'She picked him up by his neck, she sort of suffocated him by placing his face to her chest and then, squeezing tightly, swung him around by his neck, so his back was to her chest and squeezed him again. This horrific abuse was all caught on film.'

Five-Month-Old Suffers Fractures and Brain Injuries

The five-month-old allegedly sustained a fractured rib, a tibia fracture and brain injuries linked to oxygen deprivation. Haws told the court the infant was expected to survive, adding that Ackerman was fortunate the case had not become a murder prosecution.

Magistrate Judge Michael Dean set her bond at $1 million (approximately £760,000). Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for November.

New Horizon Academy said the employee had been removed and terminated, while investigations involving the company and external authorities were continuing.

'Every child deserves gentle, attentive care,' the organisation said. 'This behavior is unacceptable.'

Similar Daycare Abuse Cases Raise Wider Concerns

The Boise allegations come amid other cases involving childcare workers accused of violently handling infants.

In May 2026, Florida daycare worker Alyssa Thompson was arrested after surveillance footage allegedly showed her throwing an infant into a chair and dropping the child onto a changing table. The baby suffered a skull fracture and serious brain bleeding.

Another case in Wisconsin resulted in a conviction in May 2026. Former daycare provider Shawna Munguia was convicted of child abuse for failing to act to prevent great bodily harm after a four-month-old in her care suffered a skull fracture and brain bleeding.

Such cases highlight the importance of supervision, reporting procedures and security measures in childcare facilities. However, Ackerman remains accused, and the allegations against her have yet to be tested at trial.