CUMBERLAND — A former church day care operator has agreed to plead guilty to neglect and other crimes for allegedly giving a sleep aid to children without consent of their parents.
Tonya Rachelle Voris agreed to plead guilty to felony child neglect and six misdemeanor counts of reckless supervision by a child care provider during a hearing last week in Hancock Superior Court.
Voris was the executive director of Kidz Life Childcare Ministry at New Life Church in Cumberland when she was charged in December 2022 for allegedly giving melatonin gummies to 17 children age 4 and under without the consent of parents, court records say.
Prosecutors say Voris administered the gummies to "forcefully induce sleep" at nap times so she could go on break without "having to deal with fussy or problematic children," according to a probable cause affidavit.
Voris was fired shortly after the allegations came to light.
Child neglect is a Class 6 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 2.5 years in prison. Each count of reckless supervision carries a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Feb 2, records show.
More: State can't cite Cumberland childcare facility accused of giving kids melatonin without consent | Cumberland church daycare worker fired and arrested for giving children melatonin
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on Twitter: @vicryc.
