A NURSERY teacher has been sacked after allegedly drugging multiple toddlers under her care.
Former child-care worker Yizel J. Juarez, 23, has been accused of giving children chewable laxatives disguised as lollies.
The Illinois-based day-care provider reportedly drugged the children so they would get sent home – because she felt “overwhelmed”.
The centre – located in St Charles – has a policy where sick children must be sent home and not return for 24 hours.
The shocking accusations were aired by one mother who told CBS News that her toddler had been experiencing persistent stomach issues over an extended period of time, with no explanation.
“We thought it could have been a virus, and that was negative,” she said.
The mother – who has remained anonymous – said her 17-month-old had been enrolled at the day care centre since the summer of 2025, around the same time that Juarez began working there.
Distraught over their sick child, the parents desperately searched for answers as doctors ruled out other illnesses and infections.
The parents even tried changing the child’s milk formula.
“Multiple” similar reports from parents sparked a local police investigation.
The St Charles police confirmed the nightmare.
“My child is still suffering from constipation, which the doctor said was a side effect of coming off of laxatives,” the mother said.
“Who knows what the long-term effects could be on this?”
She said the centre’s director had informed them Juarez had been fired, after allegedly giving the laxatives to the small children because she was “overwhelmed”.
“It’s disgusting,” the mother said.
“Get another job.”
Police say Juarez turned herself into the local authorities and has since been charged with three counts of attempted aggravated battery causing bodily harm to a victim under 13, and three counts of endangering the life or health of a child.
Juarez allegedly had three victims – all under two years old.
A father of one of the alleged victims described the emotional toll.
“I have no words. It’s just thinking that your kid is going to be safe in the day care, and you come and find surprises like this,” he told CBS.
“It’s sad. It’s devastating.”
Juarez was an early childhood education student at Northern Illinois University and has since been fired from The Learning Experience daycare centre.
She was reportedly given a court date after she was released from police custody.
Authorities have also urged anyone with additional information about the case to come forward.
These horrific allegations come after another childcare worker was filmed throwing a shoe a toddler with special needs.
The disgusting footage also shows the moment the shoe hits the little girl on the ear, leaving her in tears.
CCTV at the Destiny Development day care and preschool centre in Los Angeles caught the vile interaction.
The footage shows two of the three teachers sitting down watching the child, named Beautyful.
The teacher – only identified as Ms. Emily – is then seen standing up, removing her shoe and hurling it at Beautyful.
The shoe can be seen bouncing off her body, causing her to cry out in pain.
Ms Emily then gets up and walks towards the child, saying: “I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to actually hit you.”
She repeats herself, saying: “I didn’t mean to actually hit you there”.
Ms Emily is spotted hugging Beautyful.
The other two teachers watch on in the background, with one of them appearing to laugh at the exchange, while the other seems to tidy up around them.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched an investigation into the incident, according to Fox 11.
