The video shows the worker removing her shoe and throwing it across the room, striking the little girl. The child can be heard crying after she's hit.
The incident was captured on surveillance video at the Lennox-area day care on Jan. 9. The initial post from a parent on Facebook said it happened on Jan. 16, but according to a new statement from the sheriff's department, the incident happened on Jan. 9. They also clarified that the incident happened in an unincorporated area of Lennox, near Inglewood.
Day care worker throws her shoe at 5-year-old girl with special needs at Inglewood facility
Protesters gathered outside the Destiny Development Center on W. 104th Street on Friday, calling for criminal charges.
The 5-year-old girl's family says they were shocked and heartbroken when they saw this footage.
"My baby had to go to school with people who abused her and laughed for a week and a half before you fired them," said Michelae Jones, the victim's mother.
Protesters call for criminal chargers after shoe thrown at day care
The family says the child first told them about the incident the night it happened, but they say it took more than two weeks before the day care allowed the family to see the video.
The 5-year-old child didn't suffer any serious physical injuries.
The day care's director says the caregiver seen in the video, identified only as Ms. Emily, has since been fired. She says the other two workers in the room at the time, who were initially suspended for not reporting the incident, were also terminated after reviewing the footage.
The director says the incident does not reflect what the center stands for.
"We do not stand for abuse and neglect of a child of any kind," the director said in a post on social media. "This does not define the character of who Destiny Development is and our years of service."
The sheriff's department says there have been no arrests.
"The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recognizes the seriousness of this incident and the impact the video has had on our community. We extend our sincere empathy to the victim and her family. Investigators are actively and diligently pursuing all leads, and we are confident that a thorough investigation will be conducted to identify all involved parties and that they will be held accountable for their actions or inactions," the sheriff's department said in a news release Saturday.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau toll-free tip line at (877) 710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org.