Former Teacher Molested Greater Morristown Preschool Student: Lawsuit

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ — A woman sued Head Start of Morris County, claiming a former teacher molested her daughter multiple times at the preschool's Morris Township location.

The lawsuit, filed Jan. 20, also names the former teacher — Thomas H. Meier — as a defendant. Meier was charged in 2019 with sexually assaulting a toddler and is awaiting a criminal trial.

The child was a student at Head Start of Morris County during the 2018-19 school year, according to the lawsuit. During school hours, Meier sexually abused her multiple times, according to the complaint.

The preschool "failed to take appropriate and reasonable preventative action, to provide a safe environment" for the child and engaged in "negligent hiring," the lawsuit claims.

Head Start is a federally run program under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The communications office for HHS's Administration for Children and Families promised a comment on the lawsuit but did not produce one in time for initial publication. An attorney representing Meier did not return comment.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial and seeks unspecified damages, claiming the child suffered injuries that led to extensive medical bills. The plaintiff filed the lawsuit in the state Superior Court in Morristown.

Meier, of Mount Arlington, was charged in 2019 with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The charges came after a coworker saw Meier sexually contact a 3-year-old, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities offered Meier a plea deal of three years in prison, which he rejected. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

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