A 65-year-old woman employed to help youth at the Lakeview Center Children Services now faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading not guilty to abusing children at the center.
Denise Webb entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of cruelty toward a child, both third-degree felonies, after fellow employees at the Lakeview Center Children Services reported to the Department of Children and Families that Webb was using unapproved and unsafe methods to discipline children..
Acting as a team manager for Family First Network, an affiliate of LifeView Group along with Lakeview Center, Webb allegedly first abused a child between April 30 and May 1 when witnesses say the woman grabbed a 4-year-old by the hood of his jacket, grabbed his face and slapped him on the back of the head before “placing her foot on top of (the child’s) head.”
During a second incident on May 1, witnesses told a DCF investigator that Webb grabbed the hood of the boy’s jacket and pulled it back which “appeared to be restricting (his) breathing.”
“According to (an employee), Denise stated, ‘Sometimes you have to hold him like a rottweiler,'” Webb’s arrest report said.
After the incident, the employee who witnessed Webb’s alleged actions texted her boss, saying, “Denise just totally crossed the line with (the child). She hit him on the head, stepped on his head and grabbed his face super hard.”
A separate incident on July 1 allegedly occurred between Webb and a 7-year-old boy when the child apparently refused to apologize for “cussing at” another employee.
When he refused, Webb allegedly struck the boy twice across the chest and “grabbed (the boy) by the ankle and lifted him off of the ground.”
“(An employee) stated Denise then snatched (the boy) by the ankle and lifted him where only his head/shoulders were touching the ground,” the report said.
An employee told the DCF investigator that they are taught how to deescalate children who begin acting out by isolating them. She told the investigator that “the actions of Denise are not practices used by employees to deescalate a child’s bad behavior.”
The News Journal reached out to LifeView Group for comment who provided the following statement:
“The safety of our children we serve is of the utmost importance, which is why we have policies and procedures around appropriate behaviors and how to address issues that arise, as well as required training for proper intervention,” LifeView Group told the News Journal. “The reported allegations do not reflect the mission and values of our organization, nor the hard work and dedication of our team members.”
LifeView Group confirmed to the News Journal that Webb, as well as four additional team members, were placed on administrative leave.
Webb’s attorney, Todd Early, told the News Journal he could not comment on his client’s case.
According to Florida law, Webb’s third-degree felony charges come with a maximum sentence of five years in state prison. If convicted as charged, she faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Webb’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Aug. 8, but she has submitted a waiver of arraignment after entering her plea of not guilty.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Lakeview manager accused of lifting child off ground by ankle pleads not guilty to abuse
Reporting by Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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