BLAINE, Minn. — Christina and Cody Pech describe their 5-month-old son Cassian as a "happy boy" who loves to smile and play with his toys.
"It's just been really cool to see and watch him grow," Christina said, "into this whole little person."
But when Cassian started daycare at Small World Learning Center in Blaine this spring, his parents said they grew extremely concerned about his welfare inside the facility.
"He started on the 13th of May, and by May 23, he had come home with a bruise," Christina Pech said. "And none of our concerns seemed to be taken seriously."
The Pech family has now identified Cassian as one of three infants harmed in a child abuse case under investigation by Blaine police. In a news release issued this weekend, the department announced the arrests of Small World Learning Center employees Elizabeth Wiemerslage and Chloe Johnson for "aggressively abusing children," triggered first by a call from Children's Minnesota last Tuesday.
According to a criminal complaint, surveillance video shows Wiemerslage and Johnson "violently" flipping, pulling and slamming infants. In one video, investigators wrote that Johnson is seen "holding a cloth over the infant's mouth and nose for several seconds" while the baby cried. Citing medical reports, Blaine police said one infant suffered "sustained bruising in nine different areas."
Christian Pech said her son had multiple bruises across his body and also broke one of his leg bones.
"Just disgusted that people could do this to children. Their innocence, I just... it's just sick and twisted to me," Christina said.
Cody Pech added: "We just really want answers for how this could go on for so long."
It's unclear if Wiemerslage or Johnson have retained attorneys. They initially told investigators that one of the child's bruises could have been caused by the chair or swing inside the classroom, and at one point Johnson told officers that "she was helping the infants learn how to roll over."
"But ultimately," the complaint reads, "[Johnson] admitted she was too rough" and that her behavior might have caused bruising in one of the children. Also, investigators wrote that Wiemerslage "admitted to her behavior" and "that it was wrong."
In a statement, Small World Learning Center management said "We as a company do not condone the acts of the two individuals involved in the incident."
"The two teachers in question were terminated immediately and indefinitely. We are remaining open to continue supporting our families who rely on us for care and stability during this difficult time. We want to remind everyone that in the 24 years the Small World Learning Center organization has been open, that this is the first time something of this nature has happened," management wrote in the statement. "We have a team of fully dedicated teachers who love what they do and are here for the safety and well being of the children in their care. We are cooperating with the Blaine Police Department and DHS to locate any weaknesses in our policies and procedures to ensure this does not happen again."
Blaine Police Chief Brian Podany said Small World's management has been fully cooperative with the investigation. However, although the criminal complaint focuses on three infants, Podany said more families have come forward with allegations since the announcement of the arrests.
"When we began reviewing video, it certainly became apparent right away that we had a problem here," Podany said. "What's particularly disturbing about this case is that you have two people that are present during this."
On Monday, families told KARE 11 they met with Small World management at the Blaine facility to discuss the allegations.
Minnesota State Rep. Nolan West, who represents the area, attended the meeting. He said his own daughter previously attended Small World Learning Center in Blaine and that she, too, had come home with bruising before the family switched to a new daycare.
"The fact that this was clearly going on on a daily basis is insane," West said. "You would never have guessed it. It's terrible."
Christina and Cody Pech said their son has returned to his "smiley" self, despite all the trauma he went through.
Still, Christina said she wants justice against the two employees.
"I want them to be punished for what they did to my son," Pech said, "and for every other child that was in their care."