A worker at a Manchester, New Hampshire elementary school is charged with assaulting two young students in separate incidents on the same day. William O'Connell, 24, faces accusations of second-degree assault and simple assault following the events of January 4 at Parker Varney Elementary School, as confirmed by Manchester Police. Boston 25 News reports that O'Connell was employed by Applied ABC.
O'Connell allegedly pushed a 7-year-old boy to the ground, inflicting facial injuries, and in a distinct but similarly troubling incident, he is accused to have forcefully placed a girl, also 7, onto the floor. According to Boston 25 News, the boy sustained injuries, but the girl did not. O'Connell turned himself in on Wednesday evening and was released on personal recognizance bail with his arraignment scheduled for March.
There is no apparent link between the January assaults and a December incident at the same school, which resulted in the arrest of behavioral therapist Louis Efstathiou on charges of assault and endangering the welfare of a child, as noted by Manchester police in a statement to NBC10 Boston. Efstathiou and O'Connell were both under the employment of Applied ABC, which contracts with the Manchester School District.
Jennifer Chmiel Gillis, the Superintendent of Manchester School, expressed concerns over the series of allegations, particularly since these are not the first involving employees of Applied ABC. In a statement obtained by NBC10 Boston, she emphasized that the well-being of the students is of paramount importance, stating, "They have taken immediate steps, including additional training, and increased support and oversight for their employees." Chmiel Gillis disclosed that the January accused worker was removed from the premises immediately and barred from returning upon learning of the incident. Furthermore, the district is reassessing its arrangement with Applied ABC.
