Police say surveillance video showed Erin Burke roughly handling a crying toddler at Newtown Discovery Preschool in Bucks County.
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A former preschool worker has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault after investigators said surveillance video showed her roughly handling a 2-year-old boy at a Bucks County preschool in July.
Erin Burke, a former employee of Newtown Discovery Preschool on Blacksmith Road, faces a felony count of endangering the welfare of a child and a misdemeanor count of simple assault. Police said the investigation began after the preschool reported the July 24 incident through Pennsylvania’s ChildLine system. Burke is no longer employed at the school and has been released on unsecured bail while the criminal case is pending.
According to an affidavit of probable cause cited by several Philadelphia-area news organizations, investigators reviewed classroom surveillance footage after the report. Police said the video showed Burke trying to change the clothes of the boy, who appeared to be crying. Investigators alleged that she then picked him up and dropped him face down from about 6 inches above a cushioned mat.
The affidavit alleges that Burke appeared agitated as the incident continued. Investigators said the footage showed her forcefully pushing the child’s head into a pillow, later pulling him by his ankles and using her foot to move his legs. At another point, police said she lifted the child by one wrist and swung him forward before putting him down near other students.
Police also described an incident while Burke was dressing the boy. According to the affidavit, she pulled a shirt over his head with enough force to cause his head to move back and forth several times. Investigators said the child was crying during portions of the encounter and another employee attempted to comfort him.
The boy was found with scratches on his neck and the backs of his arms, according to investigators. Authorities have not publicly identified the child because he is a minor. The reports reviewed for this story did not describe any more serious injuries or indicate that the boy required hospitalization.
The preschool’s administration became aware of the incident after Burke reported her conduct to an administrator, according to court records and statements from the school. Administrators sent her home, notified the child’s family, filed a ChildLine report and contacted appropriate authorities. The preschool later terminated Burke’s employment after conducting an internal review.
Newtown Discovery Preschool said in a statement that the staff member’s conduct was a serious and unacceptable violation of its standards for the care and safety of children. The school said the conduct did not reflect its values and that it has cooperated with authorities as the investigation and court case move forward.
Investigators interviewed Burke on July 28. According to the affidavit, she told police she had become overwhelmed and frustrated at work and acknowledged that she had handled the situation poorly and had been too rough with the child. Court records cited by news organizations say she told investigators she had been frustrated because the boy was crying and did not want to go outside.
Burke’s attorney, Louis R. Busico, has disputed any suggestion that she deliberately intended to harm the child. He told WPVI that Burke would not intentionally or recklessly place a child in danger and pointed to the fact that she reported the incident to a supervisor herself. He also said the scratches suffered by the boy were accidental.
The allegations against Burke have not been proven in court. She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 3, when the case is expected to proceed through the Bucks County court system.
Author note: Last updated August 12, 2026.