Daycare worker charged with breaking child’s leg while he was in ‘crisscross applesauce’ position

A daycare worker has been charged with breaking a little boy’s leg by yanking him as he was sitting in “crisscross applesauce” position.

Ashley Nicole Taris, 24, allegedly fractured the toddler’s tibia after she “aggressively” pulled the 4-year-old boy by the leg at KinderCare Day Care Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, in August, according to state investigators.

The young boy told police “that during class, Ms. Taris, his teacher, caused an injury to his leg while placing him in the ‘crisscross applesauce’ position,” officers wrote in an arrest warrant.

Prosecutors said at Taris’ court appearance last week that the teacher aggressively moved the boy even though he was sitting where he was supposed to, CBS 17 reported. The boy said he immediately felt a burn and couldn’t walk.

When interviewed by police, Taris claimed she was doing fun “donkey kicks” when she fell on his leg. However, investigators determined the boy’s injuries were not consistent with her account of what happened, prosecutors said in court.

Taris was initially issued a citation for misdemeanor child abuse after the Aug. 22 incident. However, tshe was arrested on April 7 as the charges were upgraded to felony child abuse.

Taris is no longer employed by KinderCare and has not worked at the center since October 2025, a company spokesperson said.

She was briefly allowed to continue teaching under a safety plan before state licensing officials ordered she be removed from the classroom while the investigation continued.