Former Middletown Daycare Worker Sentenced Over Toddler Assault

Kristie Ann Kovarcik, a former daycare worker in Middletown, Connecticut, was sentenced to eight years in prison, with two years to be served followed by five years of probation, after pleading guilty to one felony count of risk of injury to a child and three misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment. Surveillance footage showed Kovarcik tossing a 2-year-old child, causing the child's head to hit a wall and sustain a minor contusion above the right eye. The incident occurred in January 2024 at the Town & Country Early Learning Center, where the daycare director witnessed the abuse on video and promptly reported it to the child's family and state authorities. Kovarcik was also implicated in mishandling other toddlers under her care. Upon viewing the evidence, Kovarcik was arrested and later relieved of her duties indefinitely. The case highlights the breach of trust in childcare settings and the legal consequences for those who harm vulnerable children.