Horrifying scenes at childcare ‘fight club’
A VIDEO has surfaced showing pre-school children at a US daycare centre punching each other in what appeared to be a fight club organised by teachers.
The footage shows small boys wearing oversized green Incredible Hulk fists punching each other, including in the head. At one point, a teacher jumps up and down in apparent excitement.
The only person seen trying to break up a fight is another child in the footage from the Adventure Learning Centre in St Louis, Missouri.
Police and state inspectors investigated. Both teachers were fired but no charges were filed and the centre was allowed to remain open.
The mothers of two children are suing. The case goes to trial next month. The video was captured by the ten-year-old brother of one of the participants, who was in an adjoining room. He sent the video to his mother, who called the centre’s director. The director stopped the fighting and both teachers were sacked.
The day care centre’s own cameras captured more than 30 minutes of fighting, reported local television station KTVI.
Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office declined to prosecute. A statement yesterday cited poor judgment by the adult supervisors but ‘insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any laws were violated’. Spokeswoman Susan Ryan said there was no evidence that any of the children were injured.