Teaching Assistant Arrested for Child Endangerment

 A 54-year-old Nyack woman who was employed as a teaching assistant at the Jesse J. Kaplan School in West Nyack has been indicted on two felony counts of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said on January 21, while working at the school, Catherine Rios pushed the heads of two non-verbal autistic children, ages six and seven, underwater with both of her hands.

Walsh said Rios acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of the children who are unable to care for themselves because of their physical, mental or moral welfare.

The incident was investigated by the Town of Clarkstown Police.

Rios is due to be arraigned this week.