Jessica Ann Rachelle Piper, 36, of Enola, was charged, arrested, and had a preliminary arraignment on Friday, Sept. 26 after an 8-year-old boy came home from East Pennsboro Elementary School with bruises, township police detailed in an affidavit of probable cause.
Piper was employed by Substitute Teacher Services, Inc., a company that provides substitutes and paraprofessionals for central Pennsylvania school districts, the police explained. She was reportedly fired on the day of her arrest.
The alleged abuse happened during the 2023-24 school year, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The police investigation began after a Childline tip was made on May 24, 2024. Piper hit the child and held her hand over his mouth multiple times, sometimes going further, holding his jaw shut, shoving his head into the ground by his neck, and yelling at his face, six witnesses told police in separate interviews according to the affidavit.
She was released on $10,000 bail as set by Magisterial District Judge Michael Sanderson on the day of her arrest.
Her preliminary hearing has been scheduled before Judge Sanderson at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
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