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In one of the incidents at the Malvern School on Route 33 in Robbinsville, the teacher's slap caused a nosebleed, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Daily Voice. Another incident caused a visible injury to an arm, the paperwork says.
Ekta Dwarkesh, 45, of South Brunswick, is charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child by abuse or neglect, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office.
Surveillance video from the school showed Dwarkesh assaulting two children, and investigators interviewed the three children at the prosecutor’s office.
The Malvern School said preschool officials learned of the alleged incidents on March 20 and ultimately fired Dwarkesh.
"The safety and well-being of every child entrusted to us is, and always will be, our highest priority," the school said in a statement to Daily Voice. "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," the school said. "We remain committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for our children, families, and staff through strict safeguarding protocols."
The Malvern School operates 27 schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
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