Nebraska Daycare provider charged with
Child Abuse

ASHLAND, NE  –  An Ashland woman running an in-home daycare could be facing jail time after an incident that left a baby with a broken leg.  According to authorities that daycare was not licensed.

A 4-month-old baby was inside a car seat, not buckled in when that car seat fell to the ground.

That baby is expected be OK, but the daycare provider, Sabrina Cowsky, is now charged with felony child abuse.

Aside from child abuse, Cowsky is being charged with false reporting and operating a daycare without a license.  Per state law, once a daycare exceeds three children a license is required.

Authorities estimate, Cowsky was caring for roughly a dozen kids at the time of the incident.  Ashland Chief of Police Joe Baudler said he is still trying to understand why a parent might take their kids to an unlicensed daycare.

“You know, with kids, myself, I’ve taken them to daycare, you know, I was concerned about the person watching the kid, than I was whether they had a license or not,” said Baudler.

WOWT 6 News was unable to contact Cowsky, but did speak with family and neighbors.  Everyone WOWT 6 News talked to, spoke very fondly of not only Cowsky, but the victim’s parents as well. They said they think this boils down to just a really unfortunate accident.

The accident left a child with a broken leg and according to the Saunders County Attorney Steven Twohig the accident is exactly why state oversight exists.

“It’s not the controlling factor, I mean, things still happen in licensed daycare, as well, that are sad and unfortunate, but at the same time, it’s the more regulation, the less likelihood that something will occur,” said Twohig.

Sabrina Cowsky’s first appearance in court will be June 16th at 9 a.m. in Saunders County.  If she’s found guilty of all child abuse, operating without a license and false reporting, she could be facing up to 4 years in jail and almost $12,000 in fines.