An Indiana woman is facing serious accusations after an incident at a daycare involving a toddler. Authorities say Joyce Perkins, a 31-year-old woman from the state, has been charged with battery against a child under 14 years old. The troubling event happened on November 4, 2024, at Kiddie Academy of Greenwood, located on South Morgantown Road in Greenwood. Greenwood is a city within the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
It all started when a two-year-old boy allegedly spat on Perkins while she was attending to another child. According to court documents, video footage from that day shows Perkins slapping the boy so hard that he spun around and hit a cabinet behind him. The daycare director fired Perkins immediately after the incident and later handed the footage over to law enforcement.
In the video, Perkins can reportedly be heard explaining her actions. “I had to smack him because he spit all in my face,” she allegedly says. She also adds phrases like “hell no” and “ya, he spit in my face, I don’t do that.” After the slap, the video shows Perkins grabbing the boy by his shirt and taking him out of the room, authorities say.
The case was brought to the attention of Johnson County prosecutors, who have reviewed the video evidence. Johnson County prosecutor Lance Hamner explained how important video evidence is in cases like this, adding that the goal of his office is to protect people, especially children, using the law.
When detectives later interviewed Perkins at her home, she admitted to slapping the boy but claimed it wasn’t as harsh as it looked. She called it a reflex, saying, “I didn’t hit him bad, you know, I just gave him a little small tap. He didn’t cry or nothing.” She also said the child had been misbehaving that day, throwing toys and refusing to clean up when asked. Perkins allegedly defended herself further, suggesting the boy’s spitting on her could also be considered battery.
The detective reminded her that the boy was just two years old. Perkins reportedly responded, “It was my mother’s instinct to react. He didn’t cry or nothing.”
The incident has been reported to the Department of Child Services (DCS) and the state’s licensing authority. The daycare center released a statement addressing what happened, calling it an isolated incident. They emphasized that Perkins’ actions fell far below their professional and ethical standards. The daycare said they acted quickly by firing her, reporting the matter to authorities, and cooperating fully with investigations. They assured parents that every possible step had been taken to handle the situation appropriately.
As of now, the investigation by law enforcement is still ongoing. Perkins has not been arrested, according to jail records.
