‘A BETRAYAL OF TRUST’
DAY-CARE WORKER BUSTED AFTER VIDEO APPARENTLY SHOWS ABUSE
UPPER DARBY >> Police Monday released a shocking video apparently showing a day-care employee pushing a 4-year-old girl down several steps at the facility last Friday.
Based on the video and witness statements, Sarah A. Gable, 52, of the 1900 block of Carter Road in Folcroft, was arrested Friday on charges including simple assault, harassment that subjected another to physical contact and endangering the welfare of a child. The same day, she was immediately terminated from the Childcare of the Future in Primos, where she had been employed since June, according to a woman who answered the phone at the facility Monday afternoon.
“This was a horrific act, a betrayal of trust,” Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said Monday in announcing Gable’s arrest, as well as his intention to modify the criminal complaint to include a charge of recklessly endangering another person.
“We entrust out children with certified people who are supposed to care for our children as if they were their own,” the superintendent said. “I have no idea why … but the video shows her pushing a 4-year-old little girl down a flight of five or six steps.”
Gable is free on $25,000 unsecured bail, set by Magisterial District Judge Harry J. Karapalides, according to online court records. A preliminary hearing is listed for March 16 before Magisterial District Judge Kelly A. MicozzieAguirre.
Police were dispatched at 5:18 p.m. Friday to the Childcare of the Future facility, located at 723 Secane Ave., for a report of an assault of a minor. Officer James Taylor arrived at the scene and spoke with a coworker who had been in the office watching the live video surveillance, and the owner of the business, Chitwood said.
According to the probable cause affidavit, written by Detective Kevin Dinan, the woman who had been in the office watching live video surveillance told police she saw Gable push the child down the steps, falling to a platform below. Taylor was then shown the video.
“Gable was seen struggling with the child prior to pushing her down the steps,” the affidavit states. “After the child fell, Gable was observed grabbing her and continuing on.”
At one point in the quick video, Gable appears to look direclty at the camera.
Taylor also spoke with the child’s guardian at the scene. “The child was checked out and did not appear to have any outward signs of injury,” though the child complained of having knee pain, the affidavit states.
Gable was taken into custody and returned to Upper Darby police headquarters.
Chitwood praised the daycare workers for making prompt notification to police.
“They saw it and took action,” he said, noting that the video cameras were recenlty installed.
According to Chitwood, the child returned to day care on Monday.
He described her as being “scared to death.”