Former daycare center director who gave children melatonin gets six months in prison

A former director of a church daycare in Indiana has been sentenced to six months in prison after admitting to giving melatonin gummies to more than a dozen young children without their parents' consent. court documents show.

Its former director, Tonya Rachelle Voris, 53, was arrested last year after the church's pastor informed police that she had distributed “pediatric-strength melatonin” to children ages 1 to 4 in her care at Kidz Life Childcare Ministry in Cumberland, Ind. ., according to the documents.

Ms. Voris pleaded guilty in January to more than a dozen counts of neglect and reckless supervision and was sentenced Friday to six months in prison and about 18 months of probation.

Neither her attorney nor the prosecutor could immediately be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

According to court documents, Ms. Voris's use of melatonin began in December 2022, after a parent gave the daycare permission to give the sleep aid to their child during their child's scheduled daily two-hour nap. Ms. Voris then began administering melatonin to other children without their parents' consent, the documents show.

David M. Faulk, the pastor of New Life Church in Cumberland, Indiana, said in a court statement that he was told that Ms. Voris was “satisfied with the effects of the melatonin.” According to the documents, she gave the children several doses of Vicks Pure Zzzs Kidz melatonin gummies with chamomile and lavender flavors. Each gummy contains 0.5 milligrams of melatonin. The product label states that the gummies are intended for children aged 4 years and over.

Ms. Voris continued to give the children melatonin for several weeks until the behavior came to Mr. Faulk's attention, he said in the affidavit. He fired her on January 30, 2023.

Parents of children at the daycare later told investigators that their children had trouble sleeping through the night, exhibited erratic behavior, irritability and headaches, according to court documents. One parent said their 1-year-old child developed a rash, which is considered a common occurrence allergic reaction to the supplement.