Father Pins Down, Screams at 5-Year-Old During Daycare Event in Shelton

Police said the man wanted the child to be arrested.

A man invited to a Shelton day care for a Father's Day event allegedly picked up one of the children, yelled at him and pinned him to the ground.

Shelton police arrested 33-year-old Lance Churchill, of Derby, on June 16 following the incident at the Apple Tree Day Care at 117 Long Hill Cross Road. 

The day care invited dads of the children for a Father's Day event on Friday and the children made cards and gave them to their respective fathers, including Churchill's son.

One of the children, a 5-year-old boy, playfully took Churchill's card and ran around the room with it, according to police.  

Churchill, who is 6-foot-4 and weighs 270 pounds, chased the child and picked him up over his head before pinning him to the ground and screaming at him in front of other children, Shelton Police said. 

"That’s when all the kids got scared," Shelton Detective Richard Bango said.

A day care worker pulled the child away from Churchill and called police. 

Responding officers said Churchill wanted the 5-year-old boy arrested. 

Churchill was arrested and charged with risk of injury to a minor and disorderly conduct and his bond was set at $1,500.

Bango said the little boy was not hurt.

The day care has not responded to NBC Connecticut's request for comment. 

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