Daycare employee in Niagara Falls charged for allegedly choking, assaulting child under 5

A Niagara Regional Police officer is seen in an undated file photo. (The Canadian Press/Francis Vachon)

A 26-year-old daycare employee has been charged for allegedly choking and assaulting a child under the age of five in Niagara Falls last week.

In a news release on Tuesday, Niagara police said the incident occurred on Sept. 13 at the Way to Grow Daycare on Valley Way, which is near Drummond Road and Niagara Veterans Memorial Highway.

The child sustained injuries because of the incident, police said.

Earlier this afternoon, officers arrested Matthew Maxwell of St. Catharines. He has been charged with aggravated assault. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing on Wednesday.

Police said they believe there may be more victims, noting that the accused was employed at Niagara Nursery School & Child Care Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009468 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at  1-800-222-8477.