Child care worker accused of tying up kids' hands

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Spring Branch ISD child care worker is out of a job and facing charges after allegedly tying hands together of at least two children on a district campus.

Eulalia 'Lottie' Wehunt is charged with unlawful restraint and injury to a child. This comes after an investigation by Spring Branch ISD police and Child Protective Services.

The investigation began after another employee at the Zebra Zone child care reported unusual activity in Wehunt's classroom, according to the district. That witness went into the classroom and noticed a 3-year-old child, who had been sent to Wehunt's class for a "time out," in a chair with her hands tied together.

Wehunt reportedly untied the child's hands, and that child went back to class.

"I never had a parent come up and complain. In fact parents were very disappointed when she left. They wanted her back," said Wehunt's former boss Becky Goolsby at Holy Trinity Methodist Church Day Care. "I can't see her doing that."

The district says in a separate incident, a witness reported hearing students "screaming and chanting" inside Wehunt's classroom. When that witness went inside, he said he saw Wehunt holding a 3-year-old student from another class up in the air by his arms. That child's hands, said the witness, were loosely tied together. According to that witness, Wehunt put the child down and untied his hands.

"She seem like a nice lady," said Wehunt's former neighbor Britney Dallas. "Give her some candy, some chips or something. Not tied her hands up."

In a statement, Spring Branch ISD Superintendent Duncan F. Klussmann said, "I am outraged by this behavior, and I urge the District Attorney's Office to prosecute this person to the fullest extent of the law."

Wehunt faces a charge of unlawful restraint and injury to a child.