NJ Teacher's Aide Kicked Autistic Child In The Ribs, Officials Say

BELVIDERE, NJ — Officials charged a Warren County teacher's aide with child endangerment after he kicked an autistic 5-year-old in the ribs, according to court documents.

Philip J. Carlton, 60, of Stewartsville is accused of assaulting the child on Friday, Feb. 7 at Belvidere Elementary School.

Authorities said Carlton had just escorted another student to class, when the 5-year-old child came running down the hall towards him. Carlton stepped in front of the boy to stop him, as NJ.com reported.

Then, the boy hit Carlton in the stomach, causing him to grab the child's arms and place him on the floor, the report said, citing court documents. Carlton then kicked the boy in his ribs before walking away, and another person helped the student up, officials said.

School security cameras captured the incident from multiple angles, the NJ.com report said. The boy's parents later took him to a hospital to be checked out, as he had a mark on his ribs.

Belvidere Schools Superintendent Christopher Carrubba said the district could not comment specifically "regarding pending personnel or student matters." Carlton's name still appeared on the district website Friday morning as an elementary school aide.

"The Board of Education’s highest priority is the safety of our students," he told Patch in a statement. "The District has taken appropriate steps to address the situation, and we will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement."

The Belvidere Police Department conducted the investigation, and Carlton was arrested that same day. Carlton faces up to 10 years in state prison if he is convicted of the second-degree child endangerment charge.

Attorney information for Carlton was not immediately available.