Teacher’s aide charged with slamming, dragging 2-year-old at NJ Montessori school

A pistillate moving arsenic a teacher’s adjutant successful northeast New Jersey has been charged with assaulting a 2-year-old successful her care, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announced Tuesday.

Investigators accidental 19-year-old Meghan Hornidge, of River Edge, “slammed and dragged” the kid astatine the Apple Montessori School successful Wayne connected Aug. 12, 2024.

The incidental caused the babe to prolong bodily injury, according to Valdes.

Amid an probe into the case, authorities concluded determination was capable grounds to complaint Hornidge with fourth-degree maltreatment of a kid and elemental assault.

Prosecutors person referred the lawsuit to a expansive jury. If convicted, Hornidge could look up to 18 months successful authorities situation connected the maltreatment complaint and up to 60 days successful region jailhouse for the elemental battle complaint — a disorderly persons offense, which is the equivalent of a misdemeanor offense.

Montessori is simply a child-focused acquisition method that involves students’ earthy interests alternatively than ceremonial teaching methods. The student-led and self-paced but guided acquisition is “enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, the enactment of their peers, and a nurturing environment,” according to the American Montessori Society.

Apple Montessori Schools operates 20 locations crossed New Jersey, serving children from 6 weeks done sixth grade. Its “modern Montessori attack to aboriginal acquisition empowers young children to scope their afloat potential.”

A typical for the Wayne determination did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected Tuesday.