Leaving a child at daycare for the first time is often filled with both hope and nerves. Parents trust that their little ones will be safe and cared for in their absence. But for 1-year-old Clay, his first day at Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, Washington, turned into a nightmare no family should face.

When Clay’s father, Cory Weeks, arrived to pick him up, he was horrified. His son’s face was swollen and bruised, marked with cuts that made it clear something terrible had happened. At first, staff claimed another child had caused the injuries with a toy.

That explanation quickly unraveled. Surveillance footage later revealed that a staff member, 54-year-old Yvette Thurston, had assaulted Clay. Authorities arrested her on three counts of first-degree child abuse and one count of first-degree aggravated battery. She was briefly held in jail before posting a $44,000 bond.

The daycare has since removed Thurston, but for the family, the damage runs deep. Weeks, a U.S. Marine, turned to Facebook to share his ordeal, posting graphic photos of his son’s injuries and calling it “every parent’s worst nightmare.”

He explained that both Clay and his older brother had only just started attending the facility that day. What staff initially dismissed as a playground accident was later proven to be intentional harm. Weeks described the surveillance footage as “not for the faint-hearted.”

Doctors at Memorial Hospital and Manor treated Clay’s injuries. His father urged parents everywhere to be vigilant, warning against ignoring unexplained marks or trusting only in cheerful daycare photos meant to reassure families.

The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office confirmed investigators had reviewed the footage, while state officials announced Thurston’s termination and an ongoing investigation.

Weeks has vowed to seek justice and raise awareness, determined that no other child or family should suffer as his did.