Waukesha teacher accused of 2022 abuse in childcare facility begins trial

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A trial is underway for a Waukesha teacher facing charges of child abuse at a childcare facility.

Heather Miller is on trial for a series of events alleged to have happened in Aug. 2022. Miller is accused of physically abusing three kids, all of them under the age of 2.

“They can’t tell these adults what happened. They can’t tell their parents what happened,” prosecutors stated in court.

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, 51-year-old Miller watched as a former teacher at Lawrence School testified about what she saw on Aug. 17, 2022.

On the stand, Camari Morris, a teacher at the school, testified that on Aug. 17, she saw Miller slam a boy face down in a crib.

“His body had bounced,” Morris said in stand. “I started to panic."

Morris stated Miller then started pressing down on the child’s back, and Morris could hear the child wheezing.

“I jumped up and ran out of the classroom,” said Morris.

That’s when she reached out to her directors. Morris says she was told they would look into it, but Miller wasn't removed from her position. Miller’s attorney stated in court that Miller was a beloved teacher and the allegations weren’t true.

“When they saw Ms. Miller, these kids [inaudible] ran up to her and hugged her,” said Pablo Galaviz, Miller’s attorney.

In the criminal complaint, investigators say a state licensing specialist visited the facility on Sept. 2. In court, Galaviz argued it was Morris’s job as a mandatory reporter to inform the county if the abuse happened.

“Did you call the county? It was your job, Camari. It was your job,” said Galaviz.

Miller was taken into custody nearly a month after Morris first reported the alleged abuse. She was later charged with physical abuse of two additional kids.