An employee at a daycare center in Bucks County has been formally charged with assault and endangering the life of a two-year-old child, after local police confirmed that she had injured the minor during work hours.
Erin Burke, 27, is no longer linked to Newtown Discovery Preschool, according to an official statement from the institution itself. The preschool said child protective services was notified in late July, the exact date the incident with the child occurred.
Court documents reveal that Newtown Township police became aware of the allegations after preschool administrators filed a report with ChildLine.
Officers reviewed security camera footage that reports said showed Burke with a small child who was crying. In a specific excerpt, officers described that Burke had “let the child fall face down on an inflatable mattress” and then forcefully pressed the child’s head against a pillow.
Shortly afterward, police said video footage showed Burke vigorously pushing the child to force him to remain lying down.
Later, the child suffered scratches when Burke was changing his clothes, according to information released by the police.
Newtown Township Police Chief John Hearn did not provide specific details of the ongoing case. However, he made a strong appeal for the public to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
“Any time you see an injured child, notify the police,” Hearn said.
Hearn stressed that people who work directly with children have a legal obligation to report any suspected abuse. He also encouraged others who notice suspicious marks or behavior on children to do the same, reinforcing the importance of community vigilance for child protection.
“Anyone who deals with children knows they need to report it,” Hearn reiterated.
In this specific case, the preschool produced its own detailed reports and gave police unrestricted access to security camera footage, according to court documents.
Newtown Discovery Preschool sent out an official statement, which read in part: “The staff member’s conduct represented a serious and unacceptable violation of our standards of care, professional conduct, and the expectations we have for anyone entrusted with a child’s safety.”
Police said they interviewed Burke at his residence, located in Newtown Township. During interrogation, she admitted to having acted aggressively towards the child, claimed to be frustrated and confessed to having caused the minor’s injuries.
Burke’s defense attorney was contacted by authorities and, in a statement, said his client would never intentionally hurt a child. He argued that the injuries had occurred while she was changing the child’s diaper.
Law enforcement authorities reiterated the importance that anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect immediately contact the appropriate agencies.
“The priority must be protecting children,” Hearn said.
Burke is currently free on unsecured bail and has a court hearing scheduled for September.
