Two employees of the Lightbridge Academy a child day care center, have been charged with running a fight club involving the children they were supposed to be taking care of.Two employees of the Lightbridge Academy a child day care center, have been charged with running a fight club involving the children they were supposed to be taking care of. Erica Kenny a 22 year old from Cranford and Chanese White a 28 year old from Roselle have both been charged with child abuse of the 4th degree. They instigated fights between the youngsters, and had the children pushing and hitting each other all while they were being filmed. The videos were then sent over Snapchat to Erica Kenny s and Chanese Whites friends. Erica Kenny is being charged additionally with endangering the welfare of a child in the 3rd degree. The fight club that was started by the two women is based off the book and film, the fights were also staged to take place on certain days. Around 12 youngsters were seen on film pushing and shoving one another over. The children were also trying to strike each other with closed fists but fortunately none of the youngsters involved had serious injuries. Union county Prosecutor Grace Park is pursuing the case and if anyone has more information they should contact the Union County Prosecutors Office Detective Joanne Son at 908-527-4696.
Under N.J.S.A. 9:6-3 which is Child Abuse, and consists of the following acts, corporal punishment, inflicting suffering and pain upon a child, either mentally or physically or both. Tormenting or vexing a child in any way, and exposing a child to any type of fatigue or mental and or physcial strains that would in any way harm the child. It is a crime of the 4th degree and if found guilty a person will be looking at a New Jersey State Prison sentence of up to 18 months.
Under N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4 is Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and involves a person who has a legal obligation to care for a child not fulfilling that duty. If a child is harmed sexually it is a crime of the 2nd degree, if a child is harmed in any other way it becomes a crime of the 3rd degree. In this case it was a crime of the 3rd degree and the prison sentence is 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.
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