Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Daycare worker accused of making kids fight and throw chairs at each other

The former daycare employee has been charged with three counts of cruelty to children

Daycare worker Riffat Tahmin Khalil, 37, was arrested last month after police say she forced two kids to fight
Daycare worker Riffat Tahmin Khalil, 37, was arrested last month after police say she forced two kids to fight (Columbia County Jail)

A Georgia daycare worker has been arrested after police say she forced two children to fight.

Discovery Zone Kids employee Riffat Tahmin Khalil, 37, was arrested last month by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, local outlet WRDW reports. The daycare is in Evans, just minutes from the South Carolina border.

Khalil is accused of making two siblings, ages 9 and 6, fight each other at the daycare on July 28, local outlet WJBF reports.

Footage of the incident reviewed by police reportedly shows one child kicking another to the ground. Khalil then grabbed one of the children, swung her onto a chair and shook her multiple times, according to the incident report reviewed by WRDW.

Khalil then prompted one of the siblings to hit the other with a chair, the report says. The incident ended after another teacher walked into the room and removed one of the siblings.

The siblings’ parent contacted the police after her children told her that “the teacher, Ms. Khalil, made them fight,” WRDW reports.

Khalil is now facing three counts of cruelty to children, reports say
Khalil is now facing three counts of cruelty to children, reports say (Columbia County Jail)

Khalil is now in the Columbia County jail, facing three counts of cruelty to children, WRDW reports. Her bond has been set at $75,300.

The daycare’s owner immediately fired Khalil after reviewing the footage, WJBF reports.

The Independent has contacted the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Discovery Zone Kids for more information. The Independent was unable to identify Khalil’s attorney for comment.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in