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Jaron Spicer, 32, of Bayonne, has been charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault — a disorderly persons offense — following an incident on April 18, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II and West Orange Police Chief James P. Abbott said.
Disturbing footage shared by Pix11 shows Spicer, a teacher at Mt. Carmel Guild Academy on Valley Way, throwing the boy to the ground and holding him down with his own body weight. The outlet spoke with the boy's mother who had tears in her eyes, saying the video was "really hard to watch."
Spicer held the boy, who has autism, for nearly 30 minutes as other staff members come in and out of the room. The boy told his mother he was unable to breathe, and the incident was witnessed by other students.
On April 22, the victim’s mother told the West Orange Police Department and that her child was assaulted by a teacher at the school, Stephens and Abbott said. An investigation by the police department and detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s led to Spicer's arrest on July 16.
He was lodged in the Essex County Correctional Facility after his arrest. Spicer was subsequently released from custody after appearing in Essex County Central Judicial; Processing (CJP) court. Spicer was ordered to have no contact with the victim and must check in with the court during the pendency of this matter.
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