HOMESTEAD, Fla. — A longtime preschool teacher in Homestead is facing a child abuse charge after police said she allegedly grabbed a 3-year-old student so hard it left visible bruising on his arm.

According to Homestead police, the incident happened Monday at Smart Start Preschool, located at 630 Washington Ave.

The boy’s mother told officers she arrived around 4:45 p.m. to pick up her son and noticed red marks running down his right arm.

“He comes and he is like, ‘Mommy, look,’ and he shows me his arm and I see the markings,” she told Local 10 News on Wednesday. “I thought he was going to be safe. I didn’t think anyone would hurt him.”

The boy told his mother that his teacher, known to him as “Ms. Heather,” had grabbed and thrown him.

“I was in shock, and at the same time he is telling me, ‘Ms. Heather grabbed me really hard and she threw me,’” said the mother, who asked not to be identified.

Police identified the teacher as 33-year-old Heather Nicole Williams, who was arrested Monday and faces one count of child abuse without great bodily harm.

According to an arrest report, Williams’ statement to police was inconsistent with the boy’s injuries. She told officers she had knelt down to speak to the boy, placed her hand under his armpit and helped him get up from the floor — but said she didn’t know how he was injured.

“It had to be with extreme force for her to have left the markings that she left on his arms,” the mother said.

During Williams’ first court appearance, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause for the charge, saying, “She disciplined the child and he had bruising — bruising from grabbing his arm.”

The owner of Smart Start Preschool, Jenifer Bailey, told Local 10 News that Williams has worked there for more than a decade without prior incidents.

In light of the arrest, Bailey released a statement that read:

“We are in full cooperation with law enforcement as this matter is currently under investigation.”

Williams has since bonded out of jail. Bailey said her employment status will depend on the outcome of the investigation.

The boy’s mother said she is now looking for another preschool for her son while trying to continue her own education.

“No matter if he was throwing a tantrum, you are working with kids. You should’ve known how to handle this,” she said.

Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.