Salem County, NJ, Teacher’s Aide Allegedly Hurts 5-Year-Old

A Salem County mother is demanding answers after a terrifying incident at John Fenwick Academy left her 5-year-old daughter allegedly bruised and traumatized.

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According to reports, a teacher’s aide allegedly slammed the kindergartener’s head into a metal cabinet during school hours last Thursday.

5-Year-Old Injured In Salem County Classroom Incident

Mariah, the child's mother, said she received two different calls from the school that day. The first was about her daughter misbehaving in class. A second call from the principal asked her to come to the school ASAP.

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That’s when Mariah says she was told the aide had “picked up the student and forcefully placed her in a chair, causing her to strike the back of her head on a metal cabinet.” When she saw her daughter, the kindergartener was reportedly covered in bruises.

No Police Contacted Until Mom Demanded It

The school allegedly chose to handle the incident internally, sending the paraprofessional home but not contacting police until the mother insisted the call be made. The aide's name and employment status have not been released.

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Adding to the heartbreak, Mariah says her daughter is now scared to even go back to school, and hasn’t even been allowed to speak with the teacher who witnessed and reported the incident in the first place.

Investigation Now Underway

The Salem County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey Department of Children and Families are now investigating the incident, as questions swirl around school protocols and child safety.