SIOUX FALLS — The owner of a Sioux Falls day care center is facing child abuse charges and the eviction of her business after a tip to a state agency led to her arrest.

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Minnehaha County prosecutors charged Ametrea Christion, 44, with one count of child abuse, a Class 4 felony.

The investigation was spurred when the South Dakota Department of Social Services received two tips about possible child abuse at Wildflower Academy, a Christion-owned daycare center located across from Covell Lake.

The tip accused Christion of physically assaulting an 11-year-old boy and provided video of the alleged assault.

Investigators with the Sioux Falls Police Department reviewed the 30-second video and wrote in court documents that Christion can be seen striking the child in the head with an open hand while the child is in a defensive position.

When the child tried to run away, authorities say Christion grabbed the child by the hair. Another adult in the room intervened, police say, but Christion continued to raise his hand “in a threatening manner.”

He contributed

The employee who intervened told police she was “shocked by what she witnessed” and told Christion not to treat a child that way. The employee brought the victim home to his parents and informed them of what happened. The parents didn’t know there was video evidence.

Police eventually spoke to Christion, who claimed the video was shared “in retaliation” by employees he had previously fired. Police say she requested an attorney when asked to help obtain contact information for the parents of the children who attend the daycare.

Separate from the child abuse charge, Christion is also facing eviction from Wildflower Academy.

In a lawsuit filed Oct. 25, South Dakota Urban Indian Health Partners — which owns the building where Wildflower Academy is located — said Christion and her business failed to pay rent.

SDUIH said it is owed more than $56,000 in back rent and that Christion and Wildflower Academy are in default. A response to the lawsuit had not yet been filed as of noon Thursday.

As for the criminal case, Christion is scheduled to appear in a Minnehaha County courtroom on Nov. 14. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000.

A native of South Dakota, Hunter joined Forum Communications as a reporter for the Mitchell (SD) Republic in June 2021 and now works as a digital reporter for Forum News Service.