Disturbing video shows day care employee in Halloween mask terrifying children to tears; workers fired and sheriff's office launches investigation

 A viral video shows a day care worker wearing a Halloween mask while chasing and terrifying small children. Employees at the day care facility in Mississippi have been fired over the disturbing video, and the Monroe County sheriff's office has launched an investigation into the unnerving incident.

Four employees have been fired from the Lil' Blessings Child Care & Learning Center in Hamilton, Mississippi. The workers were terminated after a video of a day care employee purposely frightening young children went viral.

Video shows a day care employee wearing a menacing Halloween mask asking another worker which children had behaved well and badly. The worker would point out children who she claimed were misbehaving, and the masked day care employee would then harass the toddlers.

The masked employee crouches inches from a child's face and menacingly asks, "Are you being bad? Do you want me to take you outside?"

The worker then unleashes a sinister screech at the child. Then she yells, "You better be good!"  

The woman in the Halloween mask gets in the faces of the children and shrieks loudly. Children are seen hysterically crying and screaming in fear.

Another teacher approaches children in another classroom and warns the toddlers, "I hope y'all ready." 

She closes the door.

The masked employee then loudly bangs on the door and reveals the frightening Halloween character, similar to the serial killer in the horror movie "Scream." The horrified children scream.

The other worker informs the masked woman, "They're supposed to be cleaning up, monster." 

The masked employee yells at the children, "Are y'all supposed to be picking up? Clean up these toys! Clean up!"

The woman in the scary mask then chases one of the children around the classroom.

She commands the toddlers to clean up before releasing yet another bloodcurdling scream at the children.

The woman appears to make a laughing gesture toward her colleague – who was seen laughing earlier in the video.

Two videos of the upsetting incident were posted on Facebook on Wednesday and have since gone viral. One was reportedly filmed in September, and the other happened on Tuesday.

Sheila Sanders – who began working at the day care in 1987 and has owned it for the past 20 years – said that four employees of the Lil' Blessings Day Care have been fired.

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."

The Mississippi State Department of Health and the Monroe County sheriff's office are investigating the distressing incident caught on video.

Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook said no criminal charges have been filed yet, but his office is investigating whether a crime has been committed.

Crook told WCBI-TV, "I understand people want retaliation or retribution or whatever they want. Justice is really what they want. Not to do anything irrational and to take matters into their hands and go after some of these young people or whatever who they know is involved or the owner of the business, that’s gonna get them in trouble."

Mississippi attorney James Franks Jr. told WTVA, "It appears that it's an assault, of what they've done, because I mean, those kids were terrified."

Attorney William R. Wheeler Jr. added, "The kids were in imminent fear, obviously. Just irresponsible on the adults' part. It could traumatize the children. So, assault and battery could be the charges. But, it's up to the D.A. It could be a misdemeanor. It could be a felony.”

Attorney Jim Waide agreed that criminal charges could be filed. "The statute specifically provides that an emotional injury is a misdemeanor — either intentional or recklessly inflicted. So, any parent could see the county prosecutor and bring criminal charges."

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