LA mom seeks answers after video shows 4-year-old son being abused at daycare

LOS ANGELES - A mother is demanding answers after surveillance footage showed the owner of a daycare in Los Angeles’ Mid-Wilshire neighborhood assaulting her 4-year-old son. 

The young victim’s mother, BriéAnn Battle, said the incident happened at Kinder Kids Christian Preschool, located on the 5300 block of Pico Boulevard, on March 14 and that she was shown the video a month later. 

In the video, daycare owner Artea Kirkland is seen aggressively grabbing her son’s arms as he tries to fight back. She then pinned him on the floor to the horror of other students in the classroom. She proceeded to pick him up by his ankles and carried him while he was upside down. The video then shows her holding him in a plow pose before she picks him up by the feet and takes him to another room. 

During the assault, his mother alleges Kirkland said she’s "going to teach him a lesson that me or his grandmother doesn’t teach," and that the next day she said, "I got him, didn’t I?"

Battle called the incident "enraging" and provided images of her son’s scars after the disturbing event. 

Battle said she attempted to meet with Kirkland about the incident but Kirkland allegedly "produced a different angle of this video because in their minds, what she showed supposedly looked better in their minds." 

Battle wants Kirkland to pay for the pain and suffering she’s caused her family. 

"There’s no way I can feel comfortable with him returning after this occurrence," she said.

Battle has demanded the school release all the surveillance video which she says runs about 30 minutes. 

The boy's parents have since removed him from the school. She also hired an attorney and met with investigators. His parents said he started attending the school when he was just a year and a half old. His cousin also attended the school. 

"I would like her license to be taken away. I would like all the parents at the school to be made aware of what actually happened," Battle told FOX 11. 

So far, neither the school nor authorities have commented on the disturbing incident.