Colorado Therapist Accused of Tying Scarf Around 4-Year-Old Boy’s Neck During Daycare Session to “Teach Him a Lesson”

A Colorado behavioral therapist is facing criminal charges after allegedly tying a scarf around a 4-year-old boy’s neck during a private therapy session at a daycare center. The disturbing incident reportedly happened while the child was supposed to be receiving one-on-one behavioral therapy during nap time, an arrangement made between his family and the daycare. Authorities say the therapist later admitted he restrained the child with the scarf as a way to make him “learn his lesson.”

The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Joseph Kosse, was employed by Grace Way Collective Behavioral Therapy. He was not a daycare employee but had been allowed to work with the boy inside Springs of Life Children’s Center in Colorado Springs. According to police reports, officers were called to the facility at approximately 3:24 p.m. on October 23, 2026, after receiving information that a 4-year-old child had allegedly been tied up by a therapist.

The incident came to light when the daycare’s assistant director heard a child crying and went to check on him. When she asked Kosse what had happened, he reportedly claimed the boy had tried to tie a scarf around his own neck. Kosse allegedly explained that he responded by tying the child up with the scarf so the boy would “learn his lesson.” The staff member then noticed a red mark on the back of the child’s neck. The boy was also complaining that his neck hurt, prompting the daycare to contact authorities.

Investigators later interviewed the child as part of their inquiry. According to the arrest affidavit, the boy told police that Kosse had tied a scarf around his neck and was holding it too tightly. The child reportedly told officers, “I was trying to untie it,” before demonstrating where the therapist’s hands had been. Police also conducted interviews with witnesses and a forensic interview with the young victim as the department’s Crimes Against Children Unit took over the investigation.

Kosse was arrested on October 30 after investigators obtained an arrest warrant the previous day. He was charged with felony second-degree assault and misdemeanor child abuse, according to court records. He was booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center but had been released from detention by the following Monday evening. As of the latest reports, it was not clear when he was scheduled to appear in court, and the allegations had not yet been tested at trial.

Springs of Life Children’s Center said it took the incident seriously and confirmed that Kosse, along with other therapists affiliated with Grace Way Collective Behavioral Therapy, would no longer be permitted on its property. The center explained that the therapy sessions had been arranged privately between the family and the outside company, with the daycare allowing them to take place on its premises. The facility also said staff intervened when they became aware of the situation, reported it to the appropriate authorities and notified the child’s parents. The investigation remains ongoing, leaving serious questions about what happened during the session and how a child entrusted to an adult’s care ended up with a scarf tightened around his neck.

Source: https://lawandcrime.com/crime/parents-hire-therapist-who-ties-scarf-around-4-year-old-sons-neck-during-daycare-nap-time-cops-say/