PACIFICA – A Pacifica day care center worker has been arrested on suspicion of abusing children under her care, police said.
Mikala Ghirarduzzi, 20, of Pacifica, was arrested Tuesday on a $100,000 warrant for three counts of child cruelty possibly resulting in death or injury, two counts of willful cruelty to a child and other related charges, the Pacifica Police Department said in a news release Thursday.
The arrest followed a nearly five-month investigation. In July, the police department’s investigations division received information that an employee at a day care center was acting cruelly toward, and possibly harming, children, police said.
Police did not disclose the name of the facility but said it was not affiliated with the city’s child care program.
The day care center fired Ghirarduzzi after learning about the allegations and fully cooperated with the investigation, police said.
During the investigation, police served a total of four search warrants in two counties. Police said investigators worked with the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office to ensure all potential victims were identified and their families notified.
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Source: www.mercurynews.com