Indiana daycare teacher allegedly gave kids melatonin to avoid fussy kids

INDIANAPOLIS - A teacher at a church daycare in Indiana allegedly gave melatonin to the children to avoid fussy kids.

A probable cause affidavit claims the child care director at the church gave unauthorized sleeping medication to children as young as one-year-old so she wouldn’t have to deal with fussy kids at naptime.

"It’s pretty bad. It’s pretty staggering how many of these children were subjected to this, same as mine," said parent Paul Caudill.

Tonya Rachelle Voris was the executive director of the Kidz Life Childcare Ministry at New Life Church near Indianapolis.

On January 31, the pastor called Cumberland police to report a staff member told him Voris was giving kids melatonin at nap time and she had done so until her conscience got the best of her. That's when the pastor started calling in the parents one by one.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 CHICAGO ON YOUTUBE

Several of the parents told police they noticed behavioral and physical changes in their children.

"She would have random outbursts of emotion, and it would always be toward bedtime. She wouldn't eat. She would complain about headaches," Caudill said.

Caudill said after detoxing his daughter from the melatonin side effects, she's now back to herself and he's looking for a new child care center.

Voris faces one felony charge of neglect of a dependent and one misdemeanor reckless supervision charge.

Pastor David Faulk says the church is cooperating with the investigation.

When asked if anybody else on the staff knew Voris was allegedly giving the kids melatonin, he didn't respond and locked the church door.