A 27-year-old preschool employee has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault after authorities allege she dropped a toddler face-first onto a classroom mat, pushed his head into a pillow, and swung him by his wrist—all because he was crying about not wanting to go outside.
Background
Erin Burke worked at Newtown Discovery Preschool on Blacksmith Road in Newtown, Pennsylvania—a township located approximately 30 miles northeast of Philadelphia. On July 24, just before midnight, the Newtown Township Police Department received a report about an incident involving a child at the preschool. When detectives arrived and began their investigation, they discovered disturbing allegations that would soon be corroborated by surveillance footage.
According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Law&Crime, the victim was a 2-year-old student enrolled at the preschool. Authorities located the boy with visible injuries—scratches on his neck and the back of both arms. Detectives interviewed school administrators and reviewed video captured earlier that Friday, piecing together what they say was a prolonged assault spanning several minutes.
The footage allegedly showed Burke attempting to change the child's clothes while he was crying. What happened next, prosecutors allege, was anything but routine child care.
The Investigation
"Burke then stands up and picks the child up before moving him across the classroom and drops him face down from approximately 6 inches in the air onto a cushioned mat area," the court document states. "Burke then moves across the room in a clearly agitated manner with demonstrative hand movements while the child remains face down on the mat."
About 30 seconds later, authorities say Burke moved the boy slightly and then "forcefully push[ed] the child's head into a pillow." Eight seconds after that, video allegedly shows her picking up the toddler, putting shoes on him, and continuing to move him around the room.
"While carrying the child across the room, Burke inadvertently knocks another child down with her leg without noticing," the affidavit reads. After placing him back on the floor, she reportedly "pushes the child's head into a pillow from behind" and "stands up and uses her foot to push the child's legs."
Investigators allege that approximately 40 seconds later, Burke "grabs the child's ankles and pulls him" a distance roughly equivalent to his body length. She then grabbed his wrist and brought him toward the rest of the class.
"Once Burke reaches the carpet area with the other students seated, she picks the child up completely suspended by his left wrist and swings him forward," per the court document.
The affidavit describes another incident that same day: "She can be seen attempting to force the shirt over the child's head in a manner aggressive enough to cause the child's head to whip back and forth four times."
When detectives interviewed Burke on July 28, she reportedly admitted she was overwhelmed and burnt out at work that day. "She lost her cool and handled the situation in a very poor way," she allegedly said. She acknowledged being frustrated that the child was crying about not wanting to go outside and agreed she had been "too rough." The affidavit states she confirmed the injuries to the child's arms and neck were caused by her grabbing him out of frustration.
Key Takeaways
- Erin Burke, 27, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault in Bucks County court
- She allegedly dropped the crying 2-year-old face-first from about 6 inches onto a cushioned mat
- Surveillance footage reportedly shows her pushing the child's head into a pillow twice and swinging him by his wrist while other students watched
- Burke admitted to investigators she was overwhelmed, burnt out, and frustrated that the child didn't want to go outside
- She has been released from custody after posting bond
What's Next
Burke had a preliminary arraignment last week. She is expected back in court on September 3 for further proceedings. The Newtown Discovery Preschool stated that Burke no longer works at the facility, calling her conduct "a serious and unacceptable violation of our standards of care, professional conduct, and the expectations we have for anyone entrusted with the safety of a child." The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has also been notified of the incident.