‘Unacceptable’: Cocoa police investigating case of suspected child abuse at local daycare

COCOA, Fla. — Cocoa police say they’re investigating a case of suspected child abuse at a local daycare.

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According to a police report, the incident occurred Monday at M & M Community Academy on Peachtree Street and involved a former worker at the daycare and a three-year-old girl.

Investigators say the case remains open as they work to make sure there aren’t additional incidents of abuse they don’t know about yet involving the suspect.

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The three-year-old victim, Journ’i, was all smiles when WFTV’s Melonie Holt met her at her Brevard County home.

However, her mother, Annie Smith, says that wasn’t the case earlier this week after the incident at M & M Community Academy. Smith says she was shown video of Journ’i being dragged across the floor on Monday.

The same daycare worker can then be seen picking the girl up and appears to drop her in a corner. Moments later, a second daycare employee enters the room.

“It should have never happened. When I entrust my children to go to daycare, I expect for the teachers to handle my children the same way I would,” Smith said. “That was abuse. That was totally abuse. I don’t know if she was having a bad day or whatever the case may be, but that is unacceptable.”

It was also unacceptable to police, who arrested and charged 25-year-old Marlissa Rozier with child abuse.

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“We do have a video that shows exactly what occurred,” Cocoa Police Department Spokesperson Yvonne Martinez said. “There was another employee that heard the commotion and became concerned and brought it to the attention of the owner, so the daycare owners did everything right.”

The case is still considered an open investigation.

In addition to police, the Florida Department of Children and Families was also contacted about the incident.

Police say Rozier, who has since been released from jail on $5,000 bond, is no longer employed at the daycare.

“People drop their children off for you to take care of them,” Smith added. “Now you have to worry about, while you’re at work, they’re being mistreated like that? I want her to stay her behind in jail.”

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Rozier’s record does not show any prior arrests. She’s scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 10 for an arraignment, at which time her charges will be formally read, and she will be allowed to enter a plea.

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