A former Round Lake woman was arrested after police say she gave several children, who were two and younger, laxatives while working as a teacher at a daycare center in St. Charles.
The St. Charles Police Department was notified around 9:43 a.m. on February 3 about an attempted aggravated battery involving several children.
Multiple parents came forward to report that their children, who attended a daycare facility in the 2400 block of West Main Street in St. Charles, were given a chewable laxative by one of the daycare teachers, police officials said.
Police officials said an investigation confirmed the incidents had occurred.
Three juvenile victims, all of whom were two years old or younger, were identified.
The suspect employee was identified as Yizel J. Juarez, 23, of Sycamore.
Lake and McHenry County Scanner was told that Juarez grew up in Round Lake before attending Northern Illinois University where she obtained an early childhood education degree.
The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office was consulted and approved three counts of attempted aggravated battery causing bodily harm to a child and three counts of endangering the life or health of a child.
Juarez turned herself in to the St. Charles Police Department and was processed, given a court date and released from police custody.
Juarez has since been fired from the daycare facility, identified as The Learning Experience. Police did not provide any motive for the crime.
The Learning Experience is described as a preschool and daycare facility serving children ages six weeks to five years old in a “safe and secure environment” with “qualified teachers.”
A parent told CBS Chicago that she found out from the director that Juarez was giving the kids laxatives while claiming it was candy so that they could be sent home because she was overwhelmed.
The St. Charles Police Department said they are encouraging anyone who might have information regarding the incident to call their Investigations Division at 630-377-4435.