When parents drop their children off at day care, they assume that it is a safe environment. But for parents in Cranford, New Jersey, it turned out to be a nightmare. It seems that two day care workers decided to pit 4- to 6-year-olds against each other in bare knuckle battles and then send the videos to their friends on the cellphone app Snapchat.
The workers have been identified as Erica Kenny, 22, of Cranford, and Chanese White, 28, of Roselle, New Jersey. Both worked at Lightbridge Academy. The two women apparently would reference the 1999 film Fight Club and have the kids go at it. Law enforcement authorities were able to recover one of the videos and arrested the women.
“About a dozen children — boys and girls between the ages 4 and 6 — just fighting; throwing each other to the ground; hitting each other. … We don’t believe there were any serious injuries at this point, but we are still investigating the case,” said Union County Prosecutor Grace Park.
Lightbridge Academy issued the following statement “As parents and caregivers, we are shocked and saddened by this isolated incident and we have assisted the prosecutor’s office from the start of its investigation into this matter. While no children were physically harmed during this incident, we have a zero tolerance policy for anyone who acts in conflict with the core value of Lightbridge Academy — the safety and well-being of children.”
The two women have been charged with child abuse, and Kenny has additionally been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. According to prosecutors, White faces up to 18 months in prison for her actions and Kenny could receive as much as five years.
