- Maria Childers, a transgender daycare worker from Kentucky, reached a plea deal to avoid jail time for sexually assaulting a baby and bragging about coworkers
- In November 2022, Childers attacked the child while she was changing her diaper, then told a co-worker, “She likes it.” It just made her day.”
- Judge Joseph Roark sentenced Childers to a 12-month prison term, but withheld the prison term and was given a conditional discharge of six months
A transgender Kentucky daycare worker reached a plea agreement and avoided jail time after she sexually assaulted an infant while changing her diaper and bragged about it to a coworker.
Maria Childers was arrested in February 2023 for inappropriately touching a baby and making inappropriate comments while changing the baby’s diaper, reported WPSD Local 6.
Investigators had received an anonymous tip that Childers had sexually assaulted an infant in November 2022 while working at Explore Learning Academy in Paducah.
Court records obtained by Reduxx revealed that Childers attacked the child while she was changing her diaper and then told a co-worker, “She likes it.” It just made her day,” with additional language too disturbing to reproduce.
Paducah police and the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services interviewed a witness who confirmed details of the tip.
Maria Childers (pictured), a transgender Kentucky daycare worker, has reached a plea agreement and avoided prison time after sexually assaulting a baby while changing her diaper
Prior to her arrest, a daycare facilitator told police they were aware of Childer’s actions and issued her a “note” for the inappropriate comments.
Childers initially denied ever changing the baby’s diaper, but changed that claim after officers read a text Childers sent to the daycare director confirming she had changed the diaper, police said.
She was initially charged with first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 12 and was booked into the McCracken County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Childers then hired attorney Madison Leach, a local trans activist attorney, who gestured to have her bond reduced, saying Childers did not have access to estrogen while in solitary confinement.
Judge Joseph Roark (pictured) sentenced Childers to a 12-month prison term, but suspended the jail term and was given a conditional discharge of six months. If she adheres to the conditions, she will not face any jail time at all
She was released in January and a year after she was arrested, Childers reached a deal with prosecutors and in exchange for a guilty plea, the charges were reduced to Class A misdemeanor sexual misconduct.
Judge Joseph Roark sentenced Childers to a 12-month prison term, but suspended the jail term and was given a conditional discharge of six months. If she adheres to the conditions, she will not face any jail time at all.
Leach said the conditions include Childers having no contact with children and staying away from the Explore Learning Academy.