Texas Day Care Worker Sentenced After Video Shows 134 Incidents of Abusing Toddlers

LINDALE, TX - A 45-year-old East Texas day care worker was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison after investigators uncovered security footage showing her physically assaulting toddlers more than 130 times over several months in 2024.

Catherine Guziejka pleaded guilty in September to injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury. Prosecutors said she repeatedly assaulted six different 2-year-olds between July and October 2024 while working at Punkin’ Doodles Day Care in Lindale.

Smith County Assistant District Attorney Richard Vance told KLTV that Guziejka received the maximum sentence allowed for the third-degree felony. He said families were satisfied she would serve prison time but frustrated the sentence could not be longer.

According to court records and local reporting, the abuse came to light after a day care employee reviewed security footage in October 2024 and reported seeing Guziejka kick a 2-year-old boy in the lower back. The child’s father notified the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and investigators began reviewing months of recordings.

Investigators said the footage showed 134 separate assaults, including Guziejka kicking toddlers from behind while they watched television, standing on their hands, dragging sleeping children by the arm, and aggressively holding their heads down. She also allegedly forced children to face the wall during diaper changes.

Melanie Dawn Law, the day care’s former owner, reportedly confirmed the abuse had been happening since July and fired Guziejka immediately after reviewing the footage. All recordings were turned over to investigators.

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith told KLTV that none of the children suffered serious physical injuries, describing most as minor to medium bruising, but he expressed concern about possible long-term emotional effects.

Guziejka’s attorneys reportedly argued her actions were linked to low cognitive ability, stating her IQ measured lower than 80% of the population.