For many parents, leaving their child at daycare for the first time is a mix of nerves and hope — hoping they’ll be safe, happy, and well cared for. But for 1-year-old Clay, his first day at Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, Georgia, ended in horror.

When his father, Cory Weeks, picked him up, Clay had cuts, bruises, and a swollen face. Staff claimed another child injured him with a toy, but surveillance footage told a different story. A daycare worker, 54-year-old Yvette Thurston, was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse and one count of aggravated battery.

Weeks, a U.S. Marine, shared disturbing photos of his son online, saying this was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” He revealed that both Clay and his older brother had started that day. After demanding answers, Weeks viewed footage allegedly showing Thurston assaulting Clay.

Clay was rushed to the hospital for treatment. The worker has since been fired, and Georgia’s child care authorities are investigating.

Weeks has vowed to pursue justice and prevent other families from experiencing this pain. He urges parents to speak up, even when told otherwise — because not everything is as it seems.