Two daycare workers arrested for abusing 4-year-olds

A Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office report says eight children, all of them 4-years-old, were abused over a three month period by two daycare workers who have been arrested and charged.

The statement identified the suspects as Ambrosia Kierre Rhoten-Monk, 30, of Bristol, Virginia, and Rachel Rena Puckett, 25, of Saltville. Both are charged with misdemeanor counts of assault and battery for crimes that officers said occurred between January 1st and March 12th.

One of the suspects admitted to abusing the children, according to the report, and detectives determined evidence existed to criminally charge the women.

The owner of Blue Mountain Therapy Childcare of Abingdon identified her business as the center under investigation on a social media account and she said she self-reported the potential violations after another worker spoke to her about potential abuse on March 10.

“I condemn these actions both personally and professionally and hope the community will see that we’ve made every effort to do the right thing from the moment we were made aware,” the Blue Mountain owner wrote in a post on her business’s Facebook page.

(IMAGES: Provided for media use by WCSO VA)