Transgender woman accused of sexually abusing infant escapes jail time after copping plea deal

A transgender woman day care worker who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sexual misconduct after she was accused of molesting a baby girl while changing the child’s diaper will escape jail time, according to reports.

Maria Childres, 25, allegedly bragged to co-workers at the Explore Learning Academy in Paducah, Ky., about two hours north of Nashville, that the child “liked” the November 2022 abuse.

An anonymous tipster apparently told authorities that they saw Childres, who was born a biological male named Mark, rub the child’s genitals in a “circular motion” and that the baby appeared to be in distress, according to court records obtained by the Reduxx news site.

The colleague had asked Childres for help changing the infant’s diaper and Childres allegedly told her fellow employee, “that was her clit area and she likes it. It just made her day.”

The day care director had apparently been aware of Childres’ behavior with the baby but had only given her a “write-up,” police discovered when they went to the facility, WPDS-TV reported last year.

When questioned by police, Childres at first denied she changed the baby’s diaper but later admitted doing so after being shown texts between herself and the day care bosses, according to reports.

Reduxx obtained court records detailing the full complaint against Childers, revealing that she was accused of both physical and sexual abuse while working at the day care center.

Cops later discovered Childers had also been accused by other co-workers of leaving the children in high chairs for “hours” without care.

Under questioning, Childres tried to deny having ever said anything inappropriate, but admitted she often said things that were “taken out of context.”

Childers was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under 12, and three counts of first degree criminal abuse of a child.

Court records show that just one month after being booked into jail on the felony charges, Childers privately retained trans activist lawyer Madison Leach to represent her, and the crime was later reduced to a misdemeanor by Judge Joseph Roark.

After some negotiation between the court and Leach, Childres’ bond was reduced from $100,000 to $5,000 surety. The bond conditions included no contact with children or with the day care where she had been employed. Childres was released from custody last month.

Childres struck the apparent deal with prosecutors on Jan. 29, Reduxx reported.

In exchange for a guilty plea, she was charged only with misdemeanor sexual misconduct and the remaining abuse charges were dropped.

Judge Roark gave Childres a 12-month penalty, but withheld sentencing and imposed a conditional discharge for six months — meaning if Childres abides by the conditions set by the court during the six month period, she will not serve any prison time at all, and may not even receive a criminal record.