A daycare worker who refused to hand three children in her care over to their dad was hit in the face with a shovel , according to police.
Martha McClure knew that Francis Joseph Jackson did not have legal custody of the children who are all under four, so when he showed up at her workplace in Helena, Montana, USA, she refused to release them.
Authorities say that Ms McClure underwent surgery on Monday, but she still has double vision, her sister-in-law Marlene Heath told Fox News .
According to an affidavit, deputy county attorney James Lapotka said Jackson, 31, "has been in an ongoing CPS [Salish and Kootenai Tribal Child Protective Services] case for the past three years" and had been made aware through court papers that the agency had legal custody of his children.
According to Ms McClure, she smelled alcohol on Jackson when he came to pick up the children at Martha's Mini Daycare.
Court records state that he became angry and threatened to assault her in front of his children.