ST. LOUIS — A child was taken to the hospital back in May with bite marks and scratches, which led to a daycare worker behind bars. According to court documents, Savanna O’Neal, 27, runs an in-home daycare in her Webster Groves home.
“We want people to understand the importance of doing your due diligence, knowing who is watching your children and checking in on them,” said Wesley Bell, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney.
When a child at Children’s Hospital received treatment for bite marks, scratches, and bruises in May, detectives opened an investigation into O’Neal. Medical professionals confirmed that the injuries didn’t originate from another child.
“It is our position that her actions were what were responsible for this child being harmed,” said Bell.
According to the warrant for O’Neal’s arrest, she was in the bathroom for five to seven minutes, and when she came out, another child was standing on the victim’s head. O’Neal is now facing up to seven years in jail.
“When you cross the line of harming people, we’re going to hold you accountable, and our office has been consistent in doing that. The men and women of this office care about our victims and our victims’ families,” said Bell.
O’Neal is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond; she is also not to contact minor children, including her own.
Prosecuting Attorney Bell stated that while he doesn’t see these types of cases frequently, he believes that one case is too many. “It is important to us that the public knows about it because, let’s be honest, early childhood care is important and it is expensive and there are a lot of folks that are working several jobs and they need that care,” said Bell.
Fox 2 reached out to O’Neal’s defense attorney but did not hear back.
