Kansas day care worker caught on video hitting children is sentenced to 10 years in prison

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A former suburban Kansas City day care worker who was caught on surveillance video kicking, hitting and shaking children was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison.

Rachel Beth Schrader was arrested in 2021 after coworkers noticed that an infant was injured and contacted police. In a police interview, Schrader acknowledged “losing her patience” that day, but said it was the only time, according to the affidavit.

But the investigators who watched the surveillance video were able to document her abusing or seriously neglecting children more than 170 times in less than a month at the day care where she worked in the city of Westwood.

The affidavit describes her kicking a child square in the chest in one instance, causing him to fall backward and smack his head.

She pleaded guilty in March to four counts of child abuse.