[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 07/23/20]
LEESBURG, Florida — A Leesburg woman was arrested Tuesday for child abuse on a 1-year-old boy in her care at a local daycare in November 2019.
Aida Margarita Soto Rivas, 50, is accused of pushing a baby into a bookshelf, busting his lip and lying about how it happened on Nov. 20, 2019, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Rivas told the facility manager at Leesburg Regional Medical Center Daycare, 711 E. Main Street, Leesburg the tot was running to his nap mat when he sustained the injury to his lip, but when the manager reviewed video surveillance, it told a different story.
Rivas is captured on video putting the baby down for a nap and walking away to tend to other children. While she was tending to the other children, the baby rose from the nap mat and Rivas forcefully pushes the baby forward, causing him to strike his face on a wooden bookshelf and she then drags him by his legs towards the bottom of his nap mat, according to the affidavit. The baby attempts to rise again and Rivas again pushes him down. He tries to lift his head and Rivas forces his head back to the mat and drags him towards the bottom of the mat. Rivas walks away and the baby rises to a sitting position. Rivas “roughly” grabs the victim, throws a blanket off him and takes him to the sink to evaluate his injury, according to the affidavit.
Rivas not only told the manager the boy busted his lip running, but also told the boy’s mother the same story and provided a written statement. After the manager found Rivas was lying, she contacted the Department of Children and Families, who then contacted Leesburg Police Department. Police investigated the incident and a warrant was issued for Rivas Tuesday. She was picked up by LPD on the warrant and taken to the Lake County Jail where she was released on $2,000 bond.
A call to the listed number for LRMC Daycare late Wednesday afternoon was not answered.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
