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Burlington day care worker accused of 'being too rough' with 4-year-old

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Police and the Department of Children and Families are investigating a Burlington day care after a male teacher was accused of assaulting a 4-year-old boy during naptime.

The teacher has been suspended and the boy’s mother told Boston 25 News she never imagined he would physically lash out.

Police and DCF workers interviewed employees in the midst of an assault investigation at the Burlington KinderCare Wednesday.

“He’s been sleeping in our bed each night and he’s concerned, he checks every day to make sure the teacher isn’t there, and he’s definitely shaken from the experience,” the victim’s mother told Boston 25 News in an exclusive interview.

She is hiding her identity to protect her son but says KinderCare workers called her Monday afternoon to report an incident.

“The first thing I was told is that he was crying through naptime and the teacher in the next classroom heard him,” the mother said.

She told Boston 25 News a male teacher picked her son up by his forearms and slammed him onto a cot during naptime -- hard enough to leave bruises.

A KinderCare spokeswoman admitted the teacher had been accused of being rough with the student, but said, “at KinderCare, we work hard to provide every child with a safe, nurturing environment to learn and grow in. We take all concerns about children’s safety seriously and follow a very specific protocol anytime a concern is raised.”

“I don’t want any other child hurt and I don’t think this person should be working with children,” the mother told Boston 25 News.

KinderCare has suspended the teacher in question, although parents say a sign with his name still hangs inside.

Boston 25 News has learned this isn’t the first time the teacher has been accused.

In a statement, KinderCare said, “there were concerns raised about this particular teacher several years ago, however, DCF determined there was no evidence to support those allegations.”

That was news to the victim’s mother, who says the teacher should have been fired then.

“I’m disgusted, I was told with the police today that there had never been an incident, at all and I trusted that,” she said.

KinderCare says the teacher will remain on leave until further notice. Although the boy’s mother tells us he only had two weeks left of employment before moving on to a new job.

There has been no word yet on any criminal charges against him.

A spokesperson for KinderCare sent the following statement:

"Late Monday a concern was raised that one of our teachers may have been rough with a child. At KinderCare, we work hard to provide every child with a safe, nurturing environment to learn and grow in.

We take all concerns about children’s safety seriously and follow a very specific protocol anytime a concern is raised. Part of that protocol includes reporting the concern to the family of the child involved right away. We also report the concern to licensing and DCF and work with these agencies to look into the matter further. 

As soon as we became aware of this concern the teacher involved was placed on administrative leave.

The teacher has not been in the center since the concern was raised on Monday and will remain on leave until further notice. 

I learned that there were concerns raised about this particular teacher several years ago, however, DCF determined there was no evidence to support those allegations."

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