Georgia Church Daycare Worker Arrested For Allegedly Giving Toddlers Benadryl To Induce Sleep

A Georgia daycare worker is facing criminal charges for giving toddlers unauthorized medication.

A church daycare teacher has been arrested for allegedly administering unauthorized medication to toddlers to make them sleepy.

Kendasja Hughley turned herself into the Monroe County Jail on March 10 after a warrant was issued for her arrest, WSBTV reports. The Forsyth Methodist Church daycare worker is accused of giving Benadryl to toddlers to make them sleepy during nap time.

Deputies reviewed video footage and spoke with eyewitnesses who confirmed the allegations. A co-teacher witnessed the incident on Feb. 5 and reported it to the director, who notified the Bright from the Start program four days later.

Officials said Benadryl should not be given to children under six without a doctor’s supervision or in an emergency. It can lead to severe and sometimes fatal side effects in young children.

Warrants were issued for Hughley, who turned herself in and was charged with reckless conduct. She is being held without bond at the Monroe County Jail.

There have been strong reactions online from locals who accuse Hughley of having a history of mistreating children within the daycare.

“If the directors had fired her last summer when there was video footage of her flicking a child, then it would have never gotten this far…” one person wrote under the Monroe County’s Sheriff’s Office post about the arrest.

“Reckless conduct? That’s all she’s getting?? Because she is DRUGGING children, babies!” another person wrote. “What if the child was allergic or had opposite reactions to that medication??? This is child endangerment, child neglect, & child abuse!! It could have KILLED a child. What is wrong with people!?”

Many others are calling for the removal of the daycare’s director, who reported the incident days after it occurred and only after an initial Facebook post about the incident started drawing backlash.

“The Director did not report the incident to the Bright from the Start program until March 9, 2025, at 8:00 pm. This was after Facebook postings were made about this incident,” the MCSO wrote on Facebook.

“So the MCSO, writes — it was reported by the director after a Facebook post….. why is the director not being charged ?” one user wrote in response.

The investigation is ongoing, and the MCSO stated that additional charges and suspects could be involved.