Day Care Co-Owner In Odessa Charged With Child Abuse

ODESSA, FL — Hillsborough County sheriff's detectives have arrested the co-owner of a day care center in Odessa following a complaint that a child was abused.

The sheriff's office said it received a report on June 20 accusing Rong Liu, 51, the co-owner and director of Children's Land of Imagination Academy, 17409 Gunn Highway, Odessa, of physically abusing a child in her care.

When detectives investigated the report, they said they were able to confirm that Liu was attempting to put a child down for a nap and forcefully pushed and pulled the child's head and neck.

According to the sheriff's report, Liu was seen by witnesses placing both of her legs across the top of the child's body to try and hold him down. The witnesses reported that the child victim was crying and flailing his legs during the incident.

After completing their investigation, detectives arrested Liu on Friday and charged her with child abuse.

"It is sickening to hear that the person responsible for dozens of children at day care would inflict this type of punishment on the vulnerable persons in her care," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Unfortunately, throughout our investigation, we have learned that she is known to treat her students harshly and roughly. Thanks to the hard work and the persistent efforts by our special victims investigators, they were able to find out the truth behind the accusations reported to us."

She was released from jail on a $2,000 bond.