East Flatbush mother claims Mill Basin preschool teacher abused her autistic, nonverbal child
Her son Nathaniel is 5 years old and attended Mill Basin Early Childhood Center for over a year. She says she has no plans on sending him back.
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An East Flatbush mom says her nonverbal son with autism came home from preschool two separate times with an eye injury and a broken arm.
“So sad, things that should not be happening to a nonverbal child,” said mother, Tamara Bonner. “Especially when they can't talk for themselves.”
Her son Nathaniel is 5 years old and attended Mill Basin Early Childhood Center for over a year. She says she has no plans on sending him back.
According to police, Bonner filed a report claiming someone at Birch Family Services abused her son on two separate occasions. Bonner says Nathaniel came home on March 19 with a swollen eye and a popped blood vessel. She says she reached out to the principal of the school to find out what happened, and that the principal said she spoke with the paraprofessional assigned to Nathaniel.
“The one-on-one para told her that she took Nathaniel to the bathroom and after he finished washing his hand, he fell,” Bonner explained. “I don't believe that story.”
Bonner says the next incident happened on May 28. Tamara says she received a phone call from the school saying she needed to come get Nathaniel for an “unknown injury.”
“I said, 'Look, his hand is broken, that’s a broken hand that I’m looking at',” said Bonner.
The school told Bonner that the same paraprofessional assigned to Nathaniel saw him crying on the playground. Bonner says the school did not call an ambulance and that she had to call emergency services when she arrived.
“In the injury report, they stated that it was possibly fractured,” Bonner said. “If it’s possibly fractured, why did you have to call me first?”
Birch Family Services responded with the following statement:
“We treat the safety and well-being of our children as a number one priority and strive to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. Birch is deeply saddened by Nathaniel’s recent injuries. We have provided his family with the necessary resources to ensure he receives the proper care. We have been thorough in following our safety protocols and are working with all parties while this matter is under investigation.”
