Trans-identified biological male daycare worker charged with sexual abuse of infant in Kentucky

Kentucky transgender daycare worker Maria Childers is accused of sexually abusing a baby while changing the child's diaper, according to official documents obtained by WPSD Local 6.

The Paducah Police Department got a complaint of the alleged abuse on February 8 from the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services after an anonymous tip came in about trans-identified male Childers, 25, who was employed at the Explore Learning Academy in November when the crime allegedly took place.



According to the local outlet, a police citation says a witness at the childcare facility corroborated the details of the complaint, and the daycare's director said she was already aware of the allegations and had written up Childers over an incident regarding inappropriate comments.

Childers, who identifies as a transgender woman, was arrested the same day as police investigated the center and initially denied touching the baby's diaper in an interview. However, Childers switched the story after the investigator read a text the daycare worker sent to the director confirming the diaper change. 

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.

According to the outlet, Childers was hit with a charge of first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 12, and is incarcerated in the McCracken County Jail with a $100,000 bond. As the publication reports, the official sex listed on the jail's inmate roster is "male."

Childers took their mother's maiden name after identifying as a woman. Childers previous name was Mark.

Childers is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on March 23. It is unclear what Childers' employment status is with the Explore Learning Academy.