Day Care Workers Did Nothing as Kids Bullied 5-Year-Old Child: Police

Emma Dietrich and Joshua Tennant are arrested after video showed them allegedly doing nothing when a child was bulled at a day care. (Franklin County Jail)

Daycare workers in Ohio were arrested after being caught on camera doing nothing as other children bullied a 5-year-old girl, police have alleged.

Video footage obtained by detectives in Columbus showed 31-year-old Emma Dietrich and 27-year-old Joshua Tennant making no attempt to stop several children from bullying the girl on Aug. 13, officials said, reported WMCH in Ohio.

The two were arrested on Sept. 10 on several counts of child endangerment. They refused to stop the attack in an attempt to discipline the child, the station reported, citing court documents in the case.

A stock photo of a judge's gavel (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

“In the video, the older students are grabbing, pulling, dragging, swinging and just ‘bullying’ [the girl],” police stated in an incident report.

The 5-year-old “appears frightened and keeps her eyes closed or covered and attempts to curl up into a fetal position,” the report said.

The girl attempted to get away from the children, but she was held down against her will, police said, adding that Tennant and Dietrich sat at a table and did nothing.

The Worthington Learning Center in Columbus, Ohio, where the alleged lack of care took place (Google Street View)

Police in Columbus released a screenshot of a daycare worker, who appears to be Tennant, picking the girl up by the leg.

“This case remains an ongoing investigation. While we are protecting the identity of the [5-year-old' victim we want to share with you the severity of what little girl endured in a learning center. Actions by educators who are now facing criminal charges,” the office wrote.

Tennant was also seen picking up the 5-year-old by her leg, carried her upside down, and put her back on a rug near the taunting children, officials also said.

However, some parents of children at the daycare said that Tennant had been fine with their children and didn’t suspect there were any problems at the facility, WMCH reported.

Police told local news outlets that the facility is cooperating with the investigation.

Police have not released more information about the case.