Northport Church Daycare Closing At End Of The Month Amid Abuse Investigation

NORTHPORT, AL — A church-run daycare in Northport will close at the end of the month amid allegations of abuse and neglect that prompted investigations by state and local authorities.

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The Word Academy (TWA), operated by The Word Community Church on Highway 69 North in Northport, announced in a letter to parents Tuesday that it will cease operations on Sept. 29.

As Patch previously reported, the decision comes after numerous complaints from parents and former employees who accused staff of physically abusing and mistreating children.

Patch obtained a copy of the letter from the TWA Board of Directors, where it was announced that the board had terminated the employment of both the teacher at the center of the allegations and the director, citing failures to address the situation appropriately.

The board also described the closure as “a difficult decision” but said it was in the best interest of children, families and staff.

“The safety and well-being of the children in our care has always been, and will continue to be, our highest priority,” the announcement said. “After further discussion and reflection with our board, we have come to the difficult decision to close The Word Academy.”

The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) initially launched a wellness check and began reviewing parental complaints last Friday, following reports that included a teacher allegedly slamming a child onto a nap mat, children being struck, unsafe feeding practices, and bruises and pinch marks left unexplained.

Video of the slamming incident has been independently viewed by Patch and purports to show teacher Ali Watkins physically mistreating a small child.

Parents also raised concerns about infants being propped up improperly during bottle-feeding, posing choking hazards.

The teacher named in many of the accusations, Watkins, was fired, while Pastor Scott Willmore permanently removed director Kristy Sanford from her role. Willmore and the board said both women failed to act in a way that met its standards of accountability and integrity.

Parents have also voiced frustration over what they view as a lack of transparency from the daycare, with some telling Patch that they only learned details of the allegations from state investigators, not from the academy or church leadership.

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and DHR continue to investigate the complaints.

Church leaders also say they are fully cooperating with investigators and have turned over video and other documentation.

In the aforementioned letter from the board, church leaders thanked families for entrusting the school with their children and called it a “privilege” to be part of their lives.

As Patch previously reported, many parents immediately pulled their children from the daycare when word of the investigation began to surface.

Church leaders are now asking parents to make alternate childcare arrangements before the closure later this month.

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