Clayton News Daily

By Mehgaan Jones

mjones@news-daily.com

A Fayetteville woman, who was charged with simple battery in the beating of a child at a Riverdale daycare, entered a guilty plea in Clayton County State Court, on Wednesday.

According to a Clayton County warrant, in March, Arlene Miranda Brooks, 52, intentionally caused physical harm to a then-6-year-old, by spanking him with a brown leather belt in the bathroom of a Riverdale KinderCare Learning Center.

"She [Brooks] accepted a plea deal of 12 months probation, and 60 hours of community service," said Clayton County Solicitor General Tasha Mosely.

According to Mosely, Brooks did not receive a fine. She said that Brooks was reportedly terminated from the KinderCare Learning Center, after the incident occurred.

The center is located at 6960 Highway 85.

Clayton County State Court Judge Harold Benefield ordered Brooks to have no contact with the child or the child's family, the Solicitors General's office said on Thursday.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Solicitor General Adrienne Nash, who was unavailable for comment, Thursday.

According to Mosely, Brooks cannot go on KinderCare property, and she cannot hold any job that involves the care, or supervision, of children.

The warrant said the "teacher explained that she spank[ed] [the] child because he had thrown a chair at her and was screaming and yelling out of control."

The criminal arrest warrant application stated that Brooks, did take a belt from another child to hit [the 6-year-old boy], in a bathroom adjacent to the classroom. Brooks alleged that she spanked him once because of his behavior, the application stated.

Mosely added that there was no visible bruising on the child.

"This is why she was charged with simple battery," said Mosely.

Brooks was represented by an attorney from the Lister and Holt Law Firm, according to online court documents, but her attorney could not be reached for comment on Thursday.