Overview
- Ashley Nicole Taris, 24, was arrested on a felony child abuse charge after an earlier misdemeanor citation tied to an August 22, 2025 incident at a KinderCare in Raleigh.
- A warrant says the child told investigators he was hurt when his teacher pulled him into a seated “criss-cross applesauce” position.
- Doctors reported a spiral fracture of the tibia that matches the child’s description, while investigators say Taris’s “donkey kicks” explanation does not fit the injury.
- North Carolina regulators disqualified Taris from child care in November 2025, and KinderCare says she has not worked at the center since October 2025.
- Taris filed a civil challenge to the state disqualification in January, and a judge has paused that case until the criminal prosecution proceeds, with a court appearance scheduled.