Leslie Moss, 49, of Lakeside, was arrested Jan. 23 at the daycare center, 67563 East Bay Road, on charges of fourth-degree assault and two counts of strangulation. According to the Coos County Sheriff's Office, the assault victim was her daughter, Elizabeth Moss, 19. World Photo by Alexander Rich

COQUILLE - The director of Glasgow Preschool & Daycare Center pleaded guilty to charges of assault and criminal mischief at the Coquille Courthouse on Tuesday morning.

Leslie Moss, 49, of Lakeside, was sentenced to 12 months' probation and 40 hours of community service by Judge Michael Gillespie for assaulting her daughter, Elizabeth Moss, at the daycare center on Jan. 23.

Moss had operated the center at 67563 East Bay Road in Glasgow for 18 years before the January incident. In court testimony, Moss admitted to putting a knee into her 19-year-old daughter's face as well as breaking her daughter's prescription glasses. She said all the children at the daycare were asleep at the time of the incident and that the altercation took place in the bathroom.

“I know what to do and what not to do in front of children,” she said. “So I pushed (Elizabeth) into the bathroom.”

Moss said the impetus for her actions was a disagreement over a ring.

As part of the plea agreement, two counts of strangulation and one count of harassment were dropped.

The most significant repercussion from the guilty verdict is the strong likelihood that Moss will not be able to work in the field of daycare again, the judge said.

Kathleen Hynes, a legal and compliance manager with the state's child care division, said Moss' certification was suspended during the court proceedings, as is standard in such cases. Once her department learns of the court's ruling, Hynes said, it is likely Moss will be suspended for three years.

“We may ask for additional information and consider the case further,” Hynes said. “In most cases where someone pleads guilty or is convicted of assault, it is likely we will remove them from the registry.”

Moss does have the option of appealing the case to an administrative judge.

“I don't know really what I'm going to do,” she said Tuesday afternoon. “I would like to take it in front of (the judge) to see if I can get cleared so I could run a facility again at some point in time.”

Asked if it was likely Moss would be able to recover her certification, Hynes was succinct.

“No.”