THC found in toddler's system: Cobb County daycare worker arrested; state launches probe
Daycare worker arrested; toddler exposed to THC
Acworth police say a toddler ate a product with THC right out of that worker’s pocket. It’s not the first time a staffer at that day care has faced criminal charges.
ACWORTH, Ga. - A daycare worker in Acworth has been arrested after investigators say a toddler was exposed to a cannabis product.
The 20-month-old is recovering from the incident as both the Acworth Police Department and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning have launched probes into the incident.
Zyraina Stanice Fu'cia arrested
What we know:
Zyraina Stanice Fu'cia, 24, of Acworth, was charged with reckless conduct and cruelty to children – 2nd degree.
According to the Acworth Police Department, officers responded to the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital on Feb. 18 after doctors reported a 20-month-old girl had been admitted. The young girl was being treated for "unusual lethargy." During their exam, hospital staff found a trace of THC.
Investigators say they later learned the child got the THC product directly from the worker’s pocket while under her care at the Laugh and Learn Day Care, located at 3030 Cobb Parkway NW in Kennesaw.
Fu'cia was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center but has since been released on a $5,720 bond.
Zyraina Stanice Fu'cia. Courtesy of Cobb County Sheriff's Office
What we don't know:
Fu'cia’s current employment status is not known.
It was not immediately clear if she had retained legal representation.
Laugh and Learn Day Care issues
Dig deeper:
Fu’cia is not the first Laugh and Learn employee to face criminal charges.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning says in February 2024 a staff member aggressively pushed a 2-year-old child down onto a cot when the child did not want to lie down.
Investigators say the employee then dragged the child across the classroom and used scissors to pretend to cut the child’s hair.
The staff member was arrested and charged with cruelty to children, terroristic threats, and battery.
The state fined Laugh and Learn nearly $800 for the incident.
And in December 2023, investigators say a staff member roughly pulled a one-year-old child’s left arm as a form of discipline. The child needed professional medical attention. Laugh and learn received a fine of nearly $500. That employee was not charged.
Georgia DECAL officials say they have now opened an investigation into this latest incident.
The daycare remains open. State childcare officials say that could change depending on the outcome of their investigation.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s website is a great resource for parents. They can find background information in any daycare in the state.
What they're saying:
Sgt. Eric Mistretta, Acworth Police: "That could be very, very scary…luckily the child didn’t die or anything like that…It could’ve been very serious for the child."
Sgt. Eric Mistretta, Acworth Police: "I understand that parents could be very concerned about this, and we have to understand that these childcare directors do take the time to invest in their employees, and make sure that they are screened properly, but it’s hard to predict what someone will do in the future."
FOX 5 reached out to the Laugh and Learn Day Care Center for comment and received the following statement:
"We are aware of, and troubled by, the news of an incident involving a person affiliated with Laugh and Learn Early Learning Center in Kennesaw. The actions of this individual do not reflect our organization’s values, standards of care or commitment to child safety. We have conducted our own internal investigation and terminated this individual.
We are also fully cooperating with the authorities and will continue to do so throughout their investigation. Any additional questions regarding the arrest warrant and/or their investigation into this matter should be directed to the Acworth Police Department."
Father of toddler who ingested THC speaks
A Cobb County family is upset after their 20-month-old girl was exposed to THC while at her daycare. The woman responsible now faces charges.
Father talks about toddler ingesting THC
The other side:
Jeffery Hawkins says his daughter will never go back. "It should have never been in a daycare in the first place," Hawkins said.
"I just felt that it was really a shame, because parents pay their money," he said. "These daycares are expensive."
Hawkins says they have not heard from the daycare since the incident and do plan to file a lawsuit. "When I picked her up and I saw that she could not lift her head, she couldn't walk, she couldn’t move her hands, all she could really do was move her eyes as you called her name," said Jeffrey Hawkins, who’s daughter was exposed to THC at daycare. "So that was extremely frightening to me and my wife."
"Once we found out that it was THC, me and my wife and my oldest son, we voluntarily took drug tests just to kind of clear our name with law enforcement," Hawkins said.
The daycare remains open and says it is cooperating with investigators.
FOX 5 tried to get Fu’cia’s side of the story and went to the address listed on the Cobb County Jail Log, but we were asked to leave.
What's next:
Police say all parties are cooperating at this time and there could be more charges.
What you can do:
Anyone with pertinent information is encouraged to contact the Acworth Police Department at 770-974-1232.
The Source: The Acworth Police Department provided the details for this article. This article has been updated since originally published to add details provided by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). It was again updated on Thursday morning with a statement from the daycare center.