Daycare Teacher, Princeton Woman Physically Abused 3 Kids: Police

ROBBINSVILLE, NJ — A Princeton woman and teacher at a preschool/daycare in Robbinsville was arrested after police say she physically abused three children in her care, according to court documents.

Ekta Dwarkesh, 45, of Princeton was charged with three counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by abuse or neglect.

Dwarkesh worked as a teacher at The Malvern School at 2323 Route 33 in Robbinsville.

Court documents show that on March 20 Dwarkesh hit two children including one with an open hand so hard in the face it caused a nosebleed.

Dwarkesh also reportedly aggressively grabbed another child by her arm causing a visible sign of injury.

All three children told authorities they were hit/aggressively grabbed causing injury by Dwarkesh, said police.

Bruising was seen on the children and documented, according to court documents.

Dwarkesh is scheduled to have her first appearance in Mercer County Superior Court on April 25 at 11 a.m.

The Malvern School issued the following statement:

"On March 20th, we received a report that a member of our staff was conducting themselves in a manner we consider to be forceful. This behavior is in violation of our Commitment to Health & Safety and acceptable practices that are emphasized in staff training, our policies and procedures, and throughout our coaching and practice support. We took immediate action and removed the individual from the classroom and ultimately terminated her employment. In addition to communicating with the families affected, we also immediately alerted the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF). We support and are assisting the ensuing investigation by DCF and by the Robbinsville Police Department with the best interests of our children and families at heart. The safety and well-being of every child entrusted to us is, and always will be, our highest priority. We hold all of our teachers to very high standards and have a zero-tolerance policy regarding any behavior that doesn’t reflect the care and compassion that The Malvern School has stood for since it was founded more than 25 years ago. The action taken by this individual is not only prohibited, but it also goes completely against the values of our dedicated and caring team. We remain committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for our children, families, and staff through strict safeguarding protocols."

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