Four Now Charged In Catawba County Investigation Into Child Abuse At Daycare Facility

Four suspects now face charges in connection to alleged child abuse at a Catawba County daycare. The facility being investigated is the Childcare Network in Maiden. on Monday, one suspect was identified, on Tuesday another arrest was made public. The new suspects charged are 42-year-old Lindsey Blair Garner of Concord and 53-year-old Jennifer Leigh Beal of Maiden. They were both charged on Wednesday with failure to report a crime against a juvenile and failure to report juvenile abuse.

On August 17, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office received a report concerning the alleged assault of a juvenile at the childcare facility. This assault allegedly occurred on August 14, and is being investigated by the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU).

25-year-old Gabrielle Cierra-Ann Dowdy of Hickory, who was employed as a teacher at the time of the incident, was charged on August 19 with misdemeanor child abuse and assault on a child under 12. 33-year-old Mialynn Diane McDole of Newton, who was the assistant director of the daycare at the time of the incident, was charged on August 25 with failure to report a crime against a juvenile and failure to report juvenile abuse. Garner received a $20,000 secured bond and Beal was given an $11,000 secured bond following their arrests.