AURORA | A 32-year-old employee at an undisclosed daycare center in Centennial faces 51 counts of physical child abuse and harassment linked to complaints that he struck and physically harmed children in his care over a period of months last year, according to Arapahoe County Sheriff officials.
Brandon Vigil, 32, turned himself in to Arapahoe County jail officials last month after being accused of 28 counts of child abuse and 23 counts of harassment.
Courts and sheriff officials are not releasing the name of the child-care facility. An arrest affidavit filed with prosecutors by sheriff officials has been redacted to conceal the name of the daycare center.
Vigil was released from jail in lieu of a $3,000 bond, according to jail officials.
He was a preschool teacher at the center from February 2024 until Sept. 6, 2024.
Police were alerted by another day care center employee who said she saw Vigil strike one child with an open hand and hurt other children on Sept. 5, 2024.
The teacher said said Vigil appeared “irritated” about something and was “throwing things.”
“There were 14 kids in the classroom, all two years old,” investigators said in a report. “Vigil was throwing sleeping pads around and appeared visibly upset that kids were in his way. One child was not moving quickly enough and was allegedly struck by Vigil with an open hand. The child began to cry, to which Vigil responded with a racial slur.”
The other teacher was “shocked” by the behavior and notified daycare officials and police.
“Investigators began reviewing evidence from the daycare and discovered many instances of harmful, degrading, and humiliating actions directed at the children, all two years old,” officials said.
Sheriff officials worked with state licensing officials, social workers and others on the investigation.
Deputies have asked that anyone with information about the alleged assaults, or anyone who knows of other potential victims, to contact investigators at 720-874-8477.