Ex-Lil' Explorers teacher caught on video pleads guilty to malicious punishment of child

Plymouth daycare abuse allegations surface

A daycare in Plymouth, Minnesota, is under investigation after videos have surfaced showing a teacher yelling at and grabbing children.

PLYMOUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) - A former Plymouth day care teacher who prosecutors say was caught on video screaming at children and pushing one of them has pleaded guilty to criminal charges.

Fired Plymouth daycare teacher charged

Big picture view:

In April, Voigt – a former employee of Lil’ Explorers Childcare Center – was caught on video yelling at children and grabbing some of them.

The videos were secretly recorded by teaching assistant Yanni Thomas, who said she was concerned about what she had witnessed in the classroom on multiple occasions.

In court filings, prosecutors said employees recalled other incidents involving Voigt, 31, of Champlin, including hearing her yelling at children.

The daycare says it fired Voigt within hours of the videos surfacing online, saying, "we do not tolerate behavior of this kind."

Former Plymouth teacher charged, families hire lawyer

A total of 16 families have hired the same law firm to investigate incidents of a former teacher yelling at and pushing children at Lil' Explorers Child Care Center. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the full story.

Daycare teacher plea deal

Dig deeper:

As part of the plea, Voigt admits that she "intentionally grabbed the victim by the arm and pulled him up from the floor, causing him physical pain" during one incident.

During a second incident, she admits that she "intentionally and forcefully picked up the victim and then put him in a chair, causing physical pain" as part of the plea agreement.

Lil’ Explorers Childcare Center’s Plymouth location was investigated and cited three times in 2024, including twice for the way it disciplined children, according to records from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

What's next:

The plea comes with a punishment of up to 90 days imprisonment, a fine of $1,000, or both.

Raoul Shah, one of two attorneys representing families potentially affected by Voigt’s actions, told FOX 9 in April that the families had not yet filed a lawsuit, and at the time it was unclear whether they would take legal action against Voigt.