A Florida woman, Latoya Gaines, 48, is facing felony child abuse charges after she allegedly punched a 10-year-old girl in the face at a daycare facility in Panama City on April 24. The altercation reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over the use of a single-occupant restroom.
Details of the Incident
According to the arrest affidavit, Gaines arrived at the Bay County daycare to pick up her 5-year-old daughter and another child when the confrontation occurred. The affidavit states that Gaines became upset because the 10-year-old victim was occupying the restroom, preventing her daughter from using it.
Gaines demanded that the child exit, but when the girl asked her to wait her turn, Gaines allegedly “intentionally struck” her in the face with a closed fist, causing visible bruising around the child’s eye.
After the incident, Gaines left the daycare with her two daughters. Witnesses at the scene corroborated the victim’s version of events, and the victim’s mother came forward to report the attack to the police. Law enforcement later attempted to contact Gaines at her residence, but she was not home. However, she did speak with officers on the phone and reportedly admitted to being involved in the altercation.
Gaines’ Response
Latoya Gaines, through a Facebook post on April 29, denied the accusations, claiming she was being falsely accused.
The post, written in all caps, reads: “Did anyone stop & think about what was said & thought this is not the Latoya Gaines I know… I’m sure there are some people that are gonna say negative stuff cause that’s what some people would think but like I’ve said if you know me then you would say to yourself this is not true. It’s a bold face Lie.”
Charges and Legal Proceedings
As a result of the incident, Gaines was arrested and is facing a felony charge of child abuse. She has been released on bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on June 11, 2026, in Bay County.
The daycare facility where the incident occurred has not responded to media inquiries for comment.
