First-day nightmare as boy is left bruised and battered by ‘classmate’… then parents watched security footage

By ALYSSA GUZMAN, US NEWS REPORTER

Published: 14:32 EDT, 6 September 2025 | Updated: 14:34 EDT, 6 September 2025

A Georgia daycare worker allegedly beat a one-year-old student on his first day of school and then blamed another child, a father has claimed. 

Yvette Thurston, 54, of Bainbridge, was arrested on August 11 on child abuse and aggravated battery charges after Clay Weeks was left with a black eye and deep scratches on his face and neck following his first day of school at Little Blessings Child Care. 

‘This is every parent’s worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it,’ Clay’s father, Cory Weeks, wrote in a Facebook post. 

‘We were told another child in Clay’s class did this type of damage with a plastic toy,’ he added. 

However, when the father and staff watched the surveillance footage, they found a different story, which eventually led to Thurston’s arrest and a temporary closure of the church daycare. 

‘Nothing we saw was for the faint-hearted, especially happening to such an innocent soul,’ Cory wrote. 

Clay, whose three-year-old brother Wyatt also goes to the daycare, was rushed to the hospital to be treated for his injuries.  

‘Clay received the best care while we were there,’ the father wrote. 

‘This is every parents’ worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it,’ Clay’s father, Cory Weeks (pictured with wife), wrote in a Facebook post. ‘We were told another child in Clay’s class did this type of damage with a plastic toy’ 

Clay Weeks was left with a black eye and deep scratches on his face and neck following his first day of school at Little Blessings Child Care

The parents speculate that this isn’t the first time Thurston has done this to a student, due to the ‘severity’ and ‘acts of violence’ against the young boy. 

Cory now warns other parents to not be complacent when told how their child may have been injured while at school or in daycare.

‘Don’t ever feel like you can’t question how an injury happened to your child because I almost didn’t,’ the Marine wrote. 

‘Also, don’t believe the ‘happy pictures’ sent to you parents because we had that done as well during a day of complete torture of our Clay.’ 

Cory also spoke to local news station WCTV about the incident and said: ‘If you’re given an incident report or you received a call from a daycare facility or that something happened, ask to see exactly how it happened. Because we were lied to on how it happened. And I almost accepted that.’

Regarding the surveillance footage, he added: ‘To watch it, it was concerning,’ he said. 

‘Doing that to someone who can’t even talk back, it was his first day, he had never been away from me and his mom.’ 

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is investigating the case and said Thurston has been terminated from her position. 

Yvette Thurston, 54, of Bainbridge, was arrested on August 11 on child abuse and aggravated battery charges

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is investigating the case and said Thurston has been terminated from her position. The school was placed under an emergency closure and will be closed for 21 days

The school was placed under an emergency closure and will be closed for 21 days.

Clay’s mom Cassie posted on Facebook after the emergency closure was announced saying: ‘Thank you God for this step in the right direction.’ 

The church did not appeal the order. 

Thurston bonded out of jail. Her bond was set at $44,000. 

Daily Mail has reached out to the Weeks and Thurston for comment.  

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First-day nightmare as boy is left bruised and battered by ‘classmate’… then parents watched security footage