Preschool children were seen crying and screaming as an Egg Harbor Township childcare center worker abused them, according to court papers obtained by BreakingAC.
Angela Capella, wrote on her LinkedIn page how she was building her career in early childhood education and wanted to one day become director at a day care or learning center.
But the path to that dream became a nightmare for the young children in her care, according to the charges against her.
The complaint narrative gives some insight into what allegedly happened to the two boys and two girls who were enrolled at the Kids' Choice Academy on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township.
One boy was grabbed from a privacy cube where he was lying on his back, and dragged out of the classroom towards the bathroom "while he is visibly screaming and crying," the document states.
That boy was grabbed off a plastic cot during nap time, and then slammed back down, the charge reads, echoing what a mother said she saw done to her daughter.
In that instance, the 2-year-old girl was grabbed from her cot, and slammed back down six times in a 30-minute period, the complaint states, confirming what her mother said she saw on the video.
The girl was then slammed onto a chair and verbally disciplined, the complaint continues.
Capella pulled another girl over to her by the arm, even though "there was no danger or need to bring (the victim) to the defendant," the complaint states.
The girl, who family members say is also 2, is seen crying and screaming, according to the complaint.
Capella allegedly slaps another boy's hand out of his mouth, and grabs him by the wrist to lift him up and carry him to the chair. She then slams him into the chair.
Later, she "rush(es) over to where (the boy) was once seated, now on the ground, yanking his left arm to raise him up, squeezing his right arm and around his stomach while (he is) visibly screaming and crying, and then slamming him down to stand by a table in front of other students," the complaint reads.
Capella has been fired from the childcare center, which police say has been cooperative in the investigation.
"None of our children were injured or bruised as reported by some outlets," Kids' Choice Executive Director Cordis Chikezie wrote in a letter sent to parents Friday.
In it, she insisted that the incident involving Capella "is an isolated case and completely out of character for us."
She also pointed out that it happened in December and Capella was "relieved of her duties immediately."
All employees are fingerprinted and have a Child Abuse and Criminal Background check, she wrote.
"Our staffs are highly qualified and they go through orientations and hours of trainings including Healthy and Safety, Mandated reporting/Child abuse and neglect, Positive Discipline as well as more than twenty hours (of) creative curriculum trainings."
Capella is free on a summons, with Per citing bail reform for the reason Capella wasn't jailed.
"Charges are run through the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, and they make the call on summons or warrant," he explained. "Factors include type of crime, past criminal history, severity of the crime and other factors.
Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill did not immediately respond to how that decision was made.
The Egg Harbor Township Police Department did release their booking photo of Capella on Friday, a day after her arrest was announced.
She had worked at Kids' Choice since August 2020, according to her LinkedIn.
The abuse incidents are alleged to have happened this past December.
The investigation was conducted by Officer Alekhine Pahang and Detective Katrina Cantell.
Anyone with information concerning the incident is asked to call the Egg Harbor Township Criminal Investigations Bureau at 609-926-4051.
