You can see the video here:
Another clip, presumably filmed by another staff member who was in on the stunt and shared the footage on social media, showed one of the children crying while being chased after and grabbed by the masked stalker.
The other toddlers were seen cowering and screaming in fear as they wondered if they might be scared next.
The five women who are facing multiple charges were from the Little Blessings Childcare and Learning Center in Hamilton.
According to a statement provided by Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook, the women were identified as Sierra McCandless, 21; Oci-Anna Kilburn, 28; Jennifer Newman, 25, and Misty Shyenne Mills, 28.
All four women are facing three counts of felony child abuse.
A fifth employee, Traci Hutson, 44, is facing two misdemeanors–including for failing to report abuse by a mandatory reporter and for a simple assault charge against a minor.
You can watch a report of the incident here.
Day care workers who scared kids with "Scream" mask charged with abuseyoutu.be
Crook told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal:
“It’s just a shame it happened and this is where we’re at. Hopefully, people will learn from it."
Crook said the incident can "tear a community apart," adding that those involved all knew each other "in some shape or form."
"It’s a lot of emotions to deal with, and our job is to cut through those emotions, find the facts and present those facts.”
The daycare owner, Sheila Sanders, told the Daily Dot that at least four of the employees were fired as a result of the viral videos but didn't mention them by name.
She told local news outlets:
“I wasn’t here at the time. I wasn’t aware that they were doing that, and I don’t condone that and never have. I just wanted to say that it’s been taken care of.”
One of the teachers seen in the video terrorizing the children was identified as a woman named "CeeCee," who made an apology video.
“The teachers asked me if I would do it or if they could use (the mask) to get their class to listen or clean up," said CeeCee while crying.
"I’m not a child abuser.”
CeeCee continued:
“I did not go in there at my own discretion. As in, I didn’t go in there with the intention to literally traumatize those children."
"I expected them to react the way they reacted when I did it.”
She downplayed her behavior, adding:
"But what you all didn’t see was after I had left the room, I took it off and I went back into the classroom… and I said ‘CeeCee got the monster. It’s not coming back.’"
"And they would hug me. I’ve known those kids their whole life."
However, one of the mothers, Katelyn Johnson, remained appalled over the incident which was a nightmare for the young ones.
She told ABC News she was "in complete shock of what I witnessed."
“Whether they had a mask on or a mask off, their behavior was unacceptable."
"My blood pressure was raised. It broke my heart for my child. I was angry.”
The media outlet noted how daycare workers tend to be young and are paid close to minimum wage–which typically leads to questionable conduct and behavior that is not always captured on film.
Unfortunately, millions of of working parents in the U.S. don't have much of an option other than entrusting their little ones to a daycare facility in order to provide for their family by working underpaid jobs.
Johnson added that her two-year-old son is still showing signs of trauma and is hardly sleeping through the night as a result of what must've been a harrowing nightmare for the toddler.
The infuriated mother views the legal consequences as the first steps toward justice.
She concluded her statement by addressing the masked culprit.
“I hope you’re enjoying jail and I hope you realize what you have done is serious. It is not a joke and it is nothing to laugh at.”
@HQNewsNow/X
