Preschool teacher hit toddler, then called them a racial slur as they cried, CO cops say
A preschool teacher has been arrested after he was accused of abusing toddlers at a Colorado daycare, deputies say.
Brandon Vigil, 32, was arrested on more than 50 criminal charges, including 28 counts of child abuse and 23 counts of harassment, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a March 5 news release.
Vigil was hired as a preschool teacher at a Centennial daycare in February 2024, deputies said.
A teacher’s aide working at the daycare as a substitute on Sept. 5 noticed “Vigil seemed irritated and in a bad mood and was throwing things,” deputies said.
At the time, there were 14 children, all 2 years of age, in the classroom, according to deputies.
“Vigil was throwing sleeping pads around and appeared visibly upset that kids were in his way,” deputies said.
The teacher’s aide said that Vigil hit one of the children “with an open hand” when they were “not moving quickly enough,” according to deputies.
When the child started to cry, “Vigil responded with a racial slur,” deputies said.
“Shocked” by his behavior, deputies said the teacher’s aide reported the incident to the daycare director and law enforcement.
Vigil was fired the next day, deputies said.
Upon looking at evidence from the daycare, which officials did not name, deputies said they found “many instances of harmful, degrading, and humiliating actions directed at the children, all two years old.”
After an arrest warrant was issued for Vigil, he turned himself into the sheriff’s office.
He was arrested on nine counts of “child abuse knowingly/recklessly/body injury,” 19 counts of “child abuse knowingly/recklessly/no injury” and 23 counts of “harassment – strike/shove/kick,” according to deputies.
Attorney information for Vigil was not immediately available.
As part of an ongoing investigation, deputies said they are working with the Colorado State Child Care Licensing and Administration and Arapahoe County Child Protection Services.
Anyone with information is asked to contact deputies at 720-874-8477.
Centennial is about a 15-mile drive southeast from Denver.
This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Preschool teacher hit toddler, then called them a racial slur as they cried, CO cops say."
