A Neenah day care worker was sentenced to a year of probation after pleading to a reduced charge for giving children melatonin without parental consent.
Annalee Nitz, 51, pleaded no contest June 18 in Winnebago County to misdemeanor disorderly conduct, according to court records. The charge was reduced from misdemeanor child neglect through a plea agreement.
In October, Nitz had been working at a day care center in the 100 block of West North Water Street in Neenah for almost 15 years, specifically working in the room for 1 to 1½ year-olds, according to a criminal complaint. On Oct. 10, Nitz’s co-teacher reported seeing Nitz approach a child, remove their pacifier, place something in their mouth, return the pacifier and tuck the child in, the complaint said.
The co-teacher said she later found a small red object on the ground, which appeared to be a gummy, and a bottle of children’s melatonin in a cabinet. The day care center’s chief operations officer said melatonin being in the room was a policy violation.
The chief operations officer said when she confronted Nitz about the allegations, Nitz denied giving melatonin to children, but said she had given the children raisins or craisins. Nitz told the chief operations officer the melatonin bottle was filled with her vitamins, not melatonin, the complaint said.
Nitz later admitted to police that she had given children melatonin without parental consent, the complaint said. Nitz said she began giving them melatonin in August and would put it in their food if they wouldn’t take it. She said she only put melatonin in the food of children who wouldn’t sleep well.
According to the complaint, Nitz was suspended from the center following the allegations in October.
Law enforcement contacted the parents of all the children under Nitz’s care and none of them had given permission for melatonin to be administered to their children. Several parents said they had noticed their children appearing lethargic over the past couple of months.
The label on the melatonin bottle found in the day care stated the suggested use is for children 2 years old and older. All of the children in Nitz’s care would have been under 2 years old at the time she began giving them melatonin.
After pleading no contest June 18, Nitz was sentenced to one year on probation, according to court records. She is also required to pay $5,799.03 in restitution.
Vivian Barrett is the public safety reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at vmbarrett@usatodayco.com or (920) 431-8314.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Neenah day care worker gets probation for giving melatonin without consent
Reporting by Vivian Barrett, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Vivian Barrett, Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
