High Springs childcare worker arrested for child abuse

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Charlett Denise Wilson, 54, was arrested today and charged with child abuse without great bodily harm.

The director of the Deeper Purpose Community Church preschool contacted the High Springs Police Department yesterday afternoon to report an incident that occurred at the school. The incident was reportedly captured on video, and officers reviewed the video.

The video reportedly showed Wilson picking up a 3-year-old child and spinning her around in the air before throwing her down on her mat. Wilson also allegedly hit the child in the face “numerous times” with a long hard plastic object.

Wilson was charged in two battery cases in 2002, but adjudication of guilt was withheld. Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

Pastor Adam Joy of Deeper Purpose Community Church sent Alachua Chronicle a prepared statement in which he said that he had called the parents immediately after verifying on video that the teacher had harmed the child. He also immediately asked the teacher to leave the school. Joy added, “I want to make it abundantly clear, that what took place was absolutely unacceptable, will not be tolerated, and what happened to the child should never happen to any child.” 

Joy said the teacher has been fired and will never be employed there in the future and that a closed meeting will be held for parents tomorrow.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

 

    • Did you forget this is Alachua County? That swift and harsh punishment is a thing of the past.

    • Did you also forget that even if she is dealt with harshly by a prison term, an employer will have no idea until after making the job offer they decide to go through with a background check and find out? How insane. If you had other candidates they have likely found or are seeking something elsewhere. So there is a good chance this woman will be working with children again as long as she lives in Gangsville! These new ridiculous laws help RETAIN CRIMINALS in our town. Time to consider moving.

      • All but the most wussy businesses will just ignore it. “We don’t talk about our proprietary hiring processes, sorry.” Let them get a court order, which would never happen. It’s all just a bunch of talk.

  • The pastor took responsibility for his employee and apologized to the parents. An apology is always an admission of fault The pastor put himself at legal risk. I commend Adam Joy for his integrity. I hope ms Wilson faces the harshest of legal consequences for battering a child.

    • An apology is NOT always an admission of fault. “I’m sorry this happened,” which is essentially what the pastor said, is not an admission of fault.

    • It’s not really a question of who is to blame when it’s recorded on video. Your advice might apply in the case of possible negligence, like the kid falling through the roof of Jim Rockford’s trailer, if that’s where you heard it.

  • Why would you ask the employee to leave instead of calling the police immediately. Basically gave her the go ahead to run.

  • Do they not perform background checks on employees? She had two prior charges in 2002. Working with children and no background check, not acceptable.

    • When adjudication of guilt is withheld charges don’t show up on employment background checks.

  • She fled right to the open arms of the City of Gainesville to work. With no background checks for applicants and being black, she will fall into a job taking advantage of taxpayer’s money.

  • GOOD THING FOR HER IN GNV , YOU CANT DO A BACKGROUND CHECK FOR EMPLOYMENT. THANKS TO THE SOC-COM GANG ON THE CITY COMMISSION. SO SHE CAN DO IT AGAIN.

  • and it makes you wonder what goes on behind closed doors @ all these places where the innocent children are sent, sometimes when it is too good to be true it isn’t all that good & perfect,,maybe that place needs to show more videos,,I would never trust any of my children’s chrildren near that place,,app, a lot of covering up & some kind caring soul exposed it,,Thank you for being a voice for the innocent victims.

    • Obviously you don’t know who pastor Joy is, let me inform you, he is the owner and director of the facility! He saw it on Camara, (because he has cameras everywhere on site and watchs them endlessly while the place is open and closed to ensure the kids are safe there and to be able to stop or defuse a situation such as this) and immediately called the parents, police and other staff, he asked the teacher to leave because he didn’t want her around any of the kids any longer and he also didn’t want confrontation with the parents in front of any children! I’ve had my 4 year old daughter with full custody for almost a year now, she was at O2B originally, which wasn’t very good for her nor were the teachers and staff all that great, I switched her to deeper purpose for many reasons, one being knowing other kids that attented Deeper Purpose, every time I go into the office pastor Joy is ether watching the cameras or interacting with the kids, mainly watching the camaras, my daughter has done a 360 since transferring because of how attentive, caring, loving, stern, patient, the staff is at Deeper Purpose. My daughter loves Ms. Charlett and she still sings songs she was taught by her. Nothing else happened or happens behind closed doors, Pastor Joy is the one who brought this situation to light, not a teacher, not a child, not a parent, not a grandparent, the owner of the school!!! He did everything correctly all the way down to the hiring process, he background check came back good because her charges were so old and they were adjudicated witheld. My daughter and my family will Continue to support and go to school here along with the child this happened to and her brother!! I woukd recommend doing a little research before commenting on things you have no clue about…Let that sink in.

    • Just to confirm. He reached out to the news outlets first and provided his statement before any article was written and before they reached out to him. There is overwhelming support from the vast majority of the parents who actually send their children to this school and are directly involved with and aware of how they operate. My child has been there since they first opened and will continue to attend their school.

  • I bet they won’t release that video… Ms.Charlette is a great person inside out and would NEVER harm any child yet alone anyone. She has done many great things for her communitythat even Adam wanted part of. If it doesn’t benefit Adam he will use as well enable others to get what he wants. Adam is the ultimate great pretender! It’s so much more to this bull. And when HE is exposed PROPERLY for who he truly is imma need to see this same negative energy some are trying to put out against Ms.Charlette.. And than YOU ADAM have the nerves to say she’s never working for you again. Well ppl say the SAME about YOU about being an officer 🙄. This girl had YOUR back in EVERYTHING even YOUR WRONG DOINGS she tried setting some kind of good justlike when my brothers friend DONATED bout 8/10 pallets with NEW items to you GOING ON WHAT YOU SAID how you were “giving them out to the community” but when ppl get there you cleaned out all the OLD USED UP THINGS PPL BEEN GAVE TO YOU from you begging TO GIVE OUT. Right is right and wrong is wrong , I’ve personally watched how you’ve taken for yourself by wording in favor for others!
    This boy in a rob need professional help himself with the mentality disturbance he’s been through as a child and until he get the help he truly and honestly need while coming out of denial he will always do as he wants not what God need of him.. It’s ALWAYS another side and when ALL THIS TRUTH IS SPOKEN TRUST AND BELIEVE THE SLOB FROM SOME MOUTH WILL HAVE TO BE WIPED UP BY JESUS HIMSELF. Look at the “directors/ well Adam’s” background EVERYTHING is public information. Cause when it’s ALL said and DONE ain’t NOTHING legal going on correctly in that CHURCH that don’t have NO BUSINESS IN ANY OF CHILD CARE SERVICES And as we all have either wanted to OR did discipline a child this woman IS absolutely amazing with children! And whoever child it was I’M SURE OLE ADAM BEEN HAD ISSUES he just trying to cover his own tail as usual JUST AS ONCE HOW DETECTIVES CAME TO ME ABOUT AN INCIDENT AND I COVERED HIM when he came to speak to somebody about what was finna happen. but yall carry on… TO GOD BE THE GLORY… AND I SAID WHAT I SAID . and PaaaLEASE don’t come for me.. CHARLETTE IS BEING SHIFTED OUT THE WAY OF GOD’S FURRY HUNTY. CAUSE WHEN HE COME THROUGH HE’S COMING FOR THE OLD NEW AND THE TRYING TO BE PRESENT… AMEN YALL ALL BE BLESSED AND AGAIN I SAID WHAT I SAID. PRAY FROM HIM CAUSE MMM MM… I will NOT be responding either for I KNOW THE PLANS GOD HAS FOR ME.

  • Please pray before you talk, text, or respond. This young lady has been in this community for years. She has worked with Adam and has helped him with funding as well as setting up his new Church and his day care. I am not trying to be a judge because my God will do that! It’s so hard to read the comments from people who has formed an opinion of someone negatively because of an allegation. Let’s wait on the video!!! Perhaps Adam could have made a wrong interpretation, which I am praying that he did. Matter of fact. He stated on the news that this is an isolated issue. After reviewing his videos.Personally, why does he have to review when he stated that he watches them all the time,? I am the side of right so we all should hold our negative thoughts and wait. Pray for the situation.

  • >