A mother and daughter who worked at the YMCA Childcare Learning Center in Murrayville have lost their jobs after they reportedly used physical means to discipline children at the facility.
The Hall County Sheriff's Office said Melissa Ann Reed, 49, and her daughter Amy Nicole Reed, 25, were arrested Friday, April 16.
Melissa Ann Reed was charged with three counts of simple battery, while Amy Nicole Reed was charged with two counts of simple battery; both women posted bond and were released from the Hall County Jail on Saturday, according to arrest reports.
A spokesman for the sheriff's office said more than one child was involved. The children are toddlers, according to the sheriff's office. The incidents in question are believed to have occurred between March 12 and March 22.
The Georgia Mountains YMCA released a statement, saying the agency is cooperating with the investigation.
"The education and wellbeing of the children in our programs is vitally important to YMCA. On March 23, 2021 the Georgia Mountains YMCA notified authorities of incidents involving two staff members who engaged in physical discipline of children in our YMCA Childcare Learning Center in Murrayville, Georgia," the statement said. "The parents of the children involved were notified immediately and the staff members involved were immediately terminated by YMCA."
While the Georgia Mountains YMCA would not release specific information on the women's employment records, a spokeswoman said the agency inherited all staff members who were working at the facility when the agency took over operations in December 2020.
FULL STATEMENT FROM THE GEORGIA MOUNTAINS YMCA ON THE ARRESTS OF MELISSA ANN REED AND AMY NICOLE REED
"The education and wellbeing of the children in our programs is vitally important to YMCA. On March 23, 2021 the Georgia Mountains YMCA notified authorities of incidents involving two staff members who engaged in physical discipline of children in our YMCA Childcare Learning Center in Murrayville, Georgia.
"The parents of the children involved ere notified immediately and the staff members involved were immediately terminated by YMCA. At the YMCA we take very seriously any act that could even potentially be considered unsuitable. That’s why we notified all appropriate authorities of these incidents, including a voluntary report to the Hall County Sheriff’s office; YMCA will continue to cooperate fully with investigating authorities."
