Officials are investigating footage that shows daycare employees scaring children in Mississippi.
The footage, shared to Facebook by a concerned colleague, is said to show workers at the Lil’ Blessings Child Care & Learning Center in Hamilton donning scary Halloween masks and ordering children that 'you better be good'.
In the video, the children can be heard screaming and seen running away from the women.
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Concerned colleague Jennifer Kayla Newman shared the video on Facebook, explaining: "A couple of weeks ago some girls at the daycare bought Halloween masks to scare the kids, they did it and I never got it on video.
"When I heard she was going to do it again, I recorded to get the proof and then the video was sent to parents to show them how their child was being treated."
"I did not video this for s**ts and giggles. It was not funny to me. I did not get amusement out of this.
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"The one screaming in the kids faces is NOT me. The one standing next to the girl screaming is NOT me. That laughing in the video is NOT me."
The footage was met with outrage and quickly shared to other social media sites, with users of Reddit writing: "Why the f**k would anyone in a caretaker position think this was a good idea."
While another added: "There were multiple teachers in on it as well and they posted it. Everything about it is just mind boggling."
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A third said that the horrific footage wasn't just a lapse in judgement: "This isn't a matter of thinking it's a good idea. This is pure evil, these people should be imprisoned. This is something that can easily cause life long traumas and should be punished. You just don't do this to small children."
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities saying: "The Monroe County, MS Sheriff's Department is aware of video from the daycare in Hamilton and is working with the county prosecutor to see if there is any possible criminal charges that can be filed."
Sheila Sanders, the owner of the daycare for the past 20 years, said she wasn't aware of the videos until this week, after they were recorded.
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Sanders told the Monroe Journal: "I contacted my licensure, and she has gotten involved. The people that did those acts are no longer with us. They were fired. I wasn’t here at the time and wasn’t aware they were doing that. I don’t condone that and never have. I just want to say it’s been taken care of."
UNILAD has attempted to contact Lil' Blessings Childcare for comment.
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Shola Lee