Silver Spring childcare worker arrested for beating child, Montgomery County police say

SILVER SPRING, Md. - A childcare worker who ran her business inside her Silver Spring home for 10 years has been arrested after authorities said she beat and abused a child.

Montgomery County police said they received a video on Jan. 12 showing the woman, identified by officials as Christina Dhanaraj, abusing the child.

Investigators said the video started with the victim sitting quietly in a room inside Dhanaraj's home on Winding Waye Lane when the suspect approaches the child and yells at her.

The video, which detectives believe was captured during November or December, shows Dhanaraj hit the child in the face with eight open-hand slaps, according to police. After the child begins to cry, Dhanaraj pushed the victim to the floor, grabbed the child by the head and pushed the victim with a jerking motion, authorities stated.

Officials said the force of the jerking motion moved the child out of a seated position.

Dhanaraj was charged with second-degree child abuse. She admitted to committing the abuse that was caught on camera during an interview with police, according to officials. She has since been released on bond and her childcare provider license has been revoked.

Detectives said they were not releasing the video at this time as their investigation was ongoing. Investigators said they were concerned Dhanaraj could have more victims as she provided childcare in her home for 10 years.

Anyone with information about possible abuse was urged to call the Montgomery County Police Department's Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773-5400.