Former daycare owner’s malicious punishment of child trial moved to June

(ABC 6 News) – A former daycare owner’s trial on a single charge of malicious punishment of a child–less than substantial bodily harm was rescheduled for the summer.

Christina Morland, who ran an in-home daycare called Nawni’s Nest in West Concord, was accused of grabbing a child, lifting them off the floor, and slamming them back to the ground, causing bruising, in September of 2023.

Morland’s daycare license was also revoked in September of 2023, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Morland appeared for a pretrial hearing Wednesday, April 24, in Dodge County Court.

Another pretrial hearing was scheduled for June 26.

According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2023, a MNPrairie social worker spoke to a witness about their concerns about Morland’s “aggression and physical care with a child.”

According to the witness, the day before, Morland had told one of the daycare’s children not to do something, and when the child continued, Morland allegedly “grabbed Victim ‘very hard’”’ by the upper arm, lifted Victim off of the floor and moved Victim away from the swivel chair and then slammed Victim back on the floor.”

The witness allegedly told the social worker the child had bruising, and they had seen Morland be “physically rough” with other children.

According to court documents, Mayo Clinic noted bruises on the child’s arm, side, and nose.