BURKE COUNTY -- A 49 year old after-school daycare employee faces charges for hurting a child.         

On Monday, a Burke County school resource officer arrested Crawford Ellis after they say he punched a nine-year-old student in the face. The incident happened at Icard Elementary School. He had been employed there since 2005.

School officials released a statement saying, “Hitting a child is never acceptable at Burke County Public Schools. We take the wellbeing and safety of our students very seriously and will not tolerate such behavior.”

Ellis has been fired from the school and is expected to appear in court on November 1.