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Tiffany Nichols, of Kennett Square, was charged with felony child endangerment and failure to report child abuse, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office.
Nichols was the executive director of the Malvern School in West Chester when she learned that one of her employees, Victoria Aronson, 36, of Brookhaven, was physically abusing several toddlers, authorities said.
Investigators allege the abuse occurred between Sept. 29 and 30, involving three victims aged 14 to 16 months.
Aronson, a caretaker in a class for children aged one to one and a half, was seen slamming the toddlers onto changing tables or onto the ground, screaming obscenities at them, and putting one of the victims in a headlock, the DA's office said.
On one occasion, a child was taken to the pediatrician with bruising and a cut under the eye, authorities said.
Authorities were made aware of the alleged abuse on Oct. 7 and Aronson was arrested on Oct. 25.
Investigators say eyewitnesses told Nichols about the abuse, but she failed to immediately contact Childline, law enforcement, and the parents of the alleged victims.
On Sept. 28, a parent expressed concern about Aronson's attentiveness to the children, but the report was never investigated, the DA's office said.
The next day, a witness reported seeing Aronson being physically abusive with two children, however, Nichols failed to notify parents or authorities, they said.
On Sept. 30, an eyewitness sent an email to Nichols describing Aronson’s physical abuse of three children on Sept. 28 and 29, authorities said.
Nichols met with the eyewitness shortly after receiving the email but failed to make an official report to Childline or notify the parents, the DA's office said.
She also failed to remove Aronson from the classroom until late in the afternoon, and still gave her limited access to children the morning of Oct. 1, authorities said.
Nichols discussed Aronson’s abuse with an eyewitness on Oct. 1 but failed to contact Childline until 9:34 p.m. and did not give an accurate report of the abuse, authorities said.
“As the executive director and a mandated reporter, it was the legal and moral duty of Tiffany Nichols to ensure the safety and care of all children at The Malvern School," District Attorney Deb Ryan said.
"It is unconscionable that the defendant failed to protect these innocent, nonverbal, and defenseless young children. By not immediately notifying Childline, authorities, and the parents about her employee’s actions, she allowed abuse to continue. This astonishing criminal behavior will never be tolerated.”
Both women were released on a signature bond, public court records show.
Aronson's preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month, while Nichols' preliminary hearing is set for January.
Call Childline if you suspect child abuse: 1-800-932-0313.
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