PADUCAH, Ky. – A transgender daycare worker in Kentucky is accused of sexually abusing a baby while changing the child’s diaper, according to official documents obtained by WPSD Local 6. The suspect was identified as Maria Childres, 25, a biological male who identifies as a transgender female, the Post Millennial reported.
The Kentucky Department for Community Based Services received an anonymous tip regarding sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Childres, who was employed at the Explore Learning Academy in November when the crime reportedly took place. The state agency passed along the information to the Paducah Police Department, and officers responded to the complaint on February 8.
The allegation involved inappropriate touching while changing a diaper. A police citation says a witness at the childcare facility corroborated the details of the complaint, according to WPSD.
The director of the daycare said she was aware of the allegations and had written up Childres over an incident regarding inappropriate comments.
During an interview with police, Childres initially denied touching the baby’s diaper. However, after the investigator read a text the daycare worker sent to the director confirming the diaper change, Childres changed the story.
While admitting to changing the diaper, “Childers then maintained that he had not made inappropriate comments or touched the baby sexually,” reported women’s sex-based news site Reduxx.
At the conclusion of the police investigation, Childres was taken into custody the same day (Feb. 8).
Maria Childres. (Facebook via Reduxx)
Childres is charged with first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 12, and was booked at the McCracken County Jail. Bond was set at $100,000. The official gender listed on the jail’s inmate roster is “male,” according to the women’s news outlet.
Reduxx reached out to Explore Learning Academy for more details on Childres’ employment, but was unable to contact a representative for comment. However, WPSD referred to Childres as a “former” employee.
The defendant (whose name was spelled both “Childres” and “Childers” by different news outlets) is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on March 23.
