Former Long Island Daycare Worker Charged With Child Endangerment: Police

PATCHOGUE, NY —A former daycare employee has been arrested in connection with endangering the welfare of three children in her care at Way to Grow Child Care and Learning Center in East Patchogue, Suffolk police said.

Roshanne Marks grabbed the arms of two three-year-old children and dragged them, and struck the back of another three-year-old child's head at the daycare center on Oct. 17, according to police. She was arrested and charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

Her arrest came after an investigation by 5th Precinct Crime Section officers, according to police.
Marks, 33, of Bohemia will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

In a statement to Patch, the daycare center's spokesman, Mark Grossman, said its management was informed of the arrest by the police department.

"This arrest follows an incident in which the individual handled children in a manner that fell short of our standards for safe and appropriate care," he said. "Upon learning of this isolated incident, Way to Grow management immediately terminated the employee, as well as two other staff members who witnessed this conduct, but did not meet their obligation to report it as required by law."

Grossman said the center's management "fully cooperated with the authorities throughout their investigation and remain dedicated to maintaining a safe, nurturing environment for all children."

"Way to Grow has been a trusted provider of affordable, quality child care in the greater Patchogue community for over 23 years, with a longstanding commitment to the well-being of our families," he said.

Grossman previously told Patch that there has never been a similar incident at the center.

The center's management is now implementing measures "to strengthen" their "oversight and maintain a safe, nurturing environment for all children," according to Grossman.

The measures include increased monitoring of day-to-day classroom activities through enhanced in-person supervision and video surveillance, as well as enhanced training for all staff with an emphasis on "the importance of promptly reporting any concerns to management," he said.

They also include regular audits of incident reporting processes to ensure compliance with state-mandated requirements and the creation of a confidential hotline for parents and staff to report concerns directly to management, according to Grossman.

"We remain dedicated to the safety and well-being of the children and families we serve and will continue to work diligently to earn the trust of our community," he concluded.