Last year rolling out reported on a daycare “fight club” in Cranford, New Jersey. Two workers at Lightbridge Academy.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. 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.
On Thursday, Sept. 15 Kenny and White entered guilty pleas as part of an agreement with prosecutors, who will now determine recommendations as to what punishment they should receive during a court hearing next month. According to prosecutors both women pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree child abuse.
Parents of children at the daycare center were alarmed and have questions regarding certain injuries. One parent made a comment to media that once her child came home with a broken finger and she now questions what happened. Reportedly, classrooms have cameras where parents are allowed to observe activity. However the “fight club” incidents took place in a playground area that is not monitored by cameras.
“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 during the investigation.
At the time of the incident in August 2015, 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 next court appearance for Kenny and White will be Oct. 14 to be sentenced for their crimes.
