BATESVILLE — A longtime preschool teacher is facing six misdemeanor charges after surveillance video allegedly captured her physically assaulting three young children in her classroom, while two administrators are charged with failing to report the incident as required by law.
Donna H. Januchowski, 68, a teacher at Batesville Preschool on Vine Street, was charged with three counts of first-degree assault and three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, all Class A misdemeanors, according to Batesville police.
A probable cause affidavit states the incidents occurred Jan. 23 and were recorded on classroom video with audio. The footage allegedly shows Januchowski grabbing three children, ages 4 and 5, by their shirts, pulling them across the room and forcing them onto the floor near their rest mats.
Investigators say she placed her leg across the back of one child’s neck while he was face-down on his mat and pushed his face back down when he tried to lift his head. In another instance, she allegedly held her hand over a second child’s mouth and shook him. The third child was reportedly grabbed and thrown to the floor.
The investigation began Feb. 4 after a State of Arkansas Licensing Investigator, who had reviewed the video, contacted the state child abuse hotline. Additional reports were filed that day and on Feb. 5. One child interviewed at the Crimes Against Children office described being held down with a leg placed on him, the affidavit states. Video evidence was obtained through a search warrant served Feb. 9.
Lorrie Mae McClure, 52, and Kristi Elizabeth Cox, 56, each face three counts of failure to notify as a mandated reporter in the first degree, also Class A misdemeanors. According to the affidavit, both women viewed the classroom footage on the day of the incident. They met with Januchowski at 3:45 p.m. that afternoon and had her sign an internal “Employee Incident Documentation” form, which they also signed on Feb. 2.
The form documented concerns including physical restraint of children, yelling at students and telling children they were “bad” and “need a spanking.” Despite acknowledging that the behavior was inconsistent with appropriate teaching practices, neither administrator reported the incident to the child abuse hotline as required by Arkansas law for mandated reporters.
Januchowski’s bond was set at $1,000. McClure and Cox were released on their own recognizance.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Januchowski-Probable-cause-affidavit Januchowski-Probable-cause-affidavit-2-1