Former WV Daycare Worker Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

Photo by Talbert Toole.

Norma Pullen, a former daycare worker in Water Valley, was sentenced to 30 days in jail Thursday morning in Senatobia.

The former daycare worker was indicted in April on a charge of misdemeanor simple assault arising from incidents occurring at Cotten Candy Daycare in Water Valley in December.

Pullen’s sentencing begins Friday followed by 5 years of felony probation, Assistant District Attorney Steven Jubera confirmed to Hottytoddy.com. In addition, she must not have any contact with children who are not related to her.

She will serve her sentencing in the Yalobusha County Jail.

Nicole Morris, the mother of the child, told Hottytoddy.com that Pullen’s sentencing was not enough.

“I think she should have gotten more,” Morris said. “But glad she got something.”

Hadley Morris, 2, suffered a broken nose and injuries to her face at a Water Valley daycare in December. A video showing the events leading up to her injuries has gone viral.
Photo provided by Nicole Morris

The incident happened in December when 2-year-old Hadley Morris suffered a broken nose and bruising to the face while at the Cotten Candy Kids Learning Center that is owned and operated by Yalobusha General Hospital and Nursing Home. Her mother, Nicole Morris, worked at the daycare and was in the next room when her daughter was hurt.

Morris reviewed a security camera the night her child was injured. In the video, the daycare worker is seen grabbing Hadley and walking off camera toward the bathroom. A moment later, Hadley returns on the camera crying with her nose bleeding. When the daycare worker walks toward her with a tissue, Hadley puts up her arms and backs away.

The following day, Morris quit her job at the daycare, removed Hadley and reported the incident to the Water Valley Police Department.

Morris put the video and a photo of Hadley on Facebook on April 8. It had garnered more than 380,000 views and has been shared 4,000 times at the time of the posting.

Following the posting of the video, Yalobusha General Hospital and Nursing Home released a statement via Facebook.

“When we learned of the incident, we reported the matter to the Mississippi State Department of Health. The Department of Health and local authorities conducted an investigation, found no wrongdoing on the part of the staff at Cotten Candy Kids Daycare, and closed their files on the matter.”

An investigator with the Water Valley Police Department said the case had been forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office after the hospital was notified for further investigation.

Alyssa Schnugg, news editor, contributed to this report.