BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — UPDATE: A single felony charge has been filed against a Bakersfield daycare provider accused of child abuse.

The District Attorney's office said she will be in court later this month to face a single charge of Willful Cruelty on a Child.
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A daycare provider that was arrested by KCSO after allegations of child abuse was a former employee at Lil' Explorers.

Lil' Explorers confirmed to 23ABC that Shannon Perkins was an employee at Lil' Explorers from 2011 to December 2016. According to Lil' Explorers, Perkins was "an exemplary employee and was never written up." Lil' Explorers said she left the daycare to start her own daycare business.

Perkins was arrested by KCSO on December 28 after allegations of child abuse. Her daycare provider license was also temporarily suspended by the California Department of Human Services, Community Care Licensing Division after a state investigation into the allegations. According to the Department of Human Services, Perkins dropped and choked a child that was in her care.

When asked about the abuse incident by 23ABC, Lil' Explorers called the situation "heartbreaking."