Daycare worker accused of leaving bald patch on one-year-old boy’s head after ‘intentionally’ pulling his hair

By MELISSA KOENIG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 23:10 GMT, 13 March 2025 | Updated: 00:17 GMT, 14 March 2025

A Kentucky daycare worker has been arrested after she was caught on surveillance footage pulling a handful of hair out of a toddler’s scalp, leaving the young boy with a wide bald spot.

Leitchfield police said they received an alert on Tuesday that a one-year-old had been injured at The Play Zone and was taken to a local hospital, and began investigating what had happened when they determined the child’s injuries were of a ‘suspicious nature.’

During the investigation, police obtained surveillance footage that shows Keshia Cochran, 24, approaching the 16-month-old boy as he was busy playing, according to court documents obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader. 

‘We don’t pull hair,’ Cochran allegedly admonishes the child, though it is unclear whether the young boy was misbehaving before she became involved.

The toddler was then left ‘screaming uncontrollably,’ while Cochran walked over to a trash can and brushed the child’s hair off her hands, police allege.

Prosecutors now contend that Cochran pulled ‘a substantial amount of hair’ from the boy’s head, leaving him with ‘a complete bald spot over six centimeters.’

The toddler was then taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Keshia Cochran, 24, was allegedly caught on camera pulling a handful of hair out of a toddler’s scalp, leaving the child with a large bald spot

The incident occurred Tuesday at The Play Zone in Leitchfield, Kentucky (pictured)

Police questioned Cochran about the incident just one day later, at which point she allegedly admitted that she intentionally pulled out the toddler’s hair – but did not provide a motive for doing so.

Cochran is now charged with first-degree criminal abuse.

She was set to be arraigned on Thursday, though it is unclear whether she has retained an attorney who could speak on her behalf. 

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Daycare worker accused of leaving bald patch on one-year-old boy’s head after ‘intentionally’ pulling his hair

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