ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — A 32-year-old former daycare employee has been arrested in Arapahoe County and faces nearly 30 counts of child abuse, as well as harassment charges.
Brandon Joseph Vigil, 32, turned himself into the Arapahoe County Detention Facility on Feb. 10, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Wednesday.
The investigation began on Sept. 5, 2024, when somebody reported child abuse at a preschool in Centennial. A teacher's aide, who was substituting for another teacher, said Vigil, who worked as a preschool teacher at the daycare, seemed irritated and was throwing things in the room, which contained 14 2-year-old children.
"Vigil was throwing sleeping pads around and appeared visibly upset that kids were in his way," the sheriff's office said. "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 teacher's aide reported the incident to the director of the daycare and law enforcement. The aide added that Vigil has been verbally abusive in the past as well, the sheriff's office said. But no previous incidents were reported.
Investigators reviewed evidence and found "many instances of harmful, degrading, and humiliating actions directed at the children," the sheriff's office said. They obtained an arrest warrant for Vigil.
Vigil, who had started working at the Centennial facility in February 2024, was fired on Sept. 6.
He turned himself into the Arapahoe County Detention Facility on Feb. 10.
Vigil faces 51 criminal counts, including nine counts of child abuse (knowingly/recklessly causing body injury), 19 counts of child abuse (knowingly/recklessly with no injury), and 23 counts of harassment (shove, strike or kick).
The Colorado State Child Care Licensing and Administration and Arapahoe County Child Protection Services are working alongside the sheriff's office in this case.
An investigator confirmed to Denver7 that there is no known relation between Brandon Vigil and a couple that has the same last name — Tony Vigil and Jaylyn Vigil — out of Denver, who are accused of burning an infant with scalding water and killing him in 2023. They are both due in court in mid-March.
The investigation is ongoing and no other information was available Wednesday morning.
Anybody with information on this case, or who believes they are someone they know was victimized by Vigil, is asked to call the sheriff's office investigations tip line at 720-874-8477.
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