Daycare worker accused of putting 4-year-old boy outside in 19-degree weather before placing him in empty indoor trash can

A 58-year-old Illinois daycare worker is accused of putting a 4-year-old boy outside in 19-degree weather before placing him in an empty indoor trash can — allegedly as punishment over the child not taking a nap.

Around 1 p.m. Jan. 13, Anna Petrou placed a 4-year-old child in the alley of the Learning Lab for about 20 seconds, WLS-TV reported, citing Homewood police. The daycare center is in the 18700 block of Dixie Highway, and the village of Homewood is about a half hour south of Chicago.

The parents noted to the station that the worker in question told them it was a joke.

Police said the approximate temperature at the time of the incident was 19 degrees, WLS reported.

Petrou then brought the child inside and placed the victim in an empty garbage can as a form of punishment, police added to the station.

The incident was reported to police that night, WLS said.

Petrou was charged with one misdemeanor count of endangering the life of a child and released pending a future court date, police said.

The child's parents said they were shocked by what they called outright cruelty, WLS reported.

The parents told the station they didn't find out about the incident until they picked up their son, and he told them the worker put him in a garbage can because he didn't want to take a nap.

The parents noted to the station that the worker in question told them it was a joke.

Surveillance video inside the Learning Lab shows a daycare worker picking up the 4-year-old and placing him in a garbage can, WLS said. You can view a video report here that shows the garbage can incident.

The boy's parents added to the station that other children and teachers witnessed the incident — and they're concerned about psychological damage their son may have suffered as a result.

The parents added to WLS that they were told the worker in question was fired — but they're also concerned that other teachers failed to intervene or report the incident.

The parents added to the station that they're considering a civil lawsuit against the daycare.

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