Two New Jersey day care center workers accused of instigating scuffles among the young children as part of a "Fight Club" and posting videos of the battles on Snapchat pleaded not guilty to cruelty and neglect of children at their arraignments.
Twenty-two-year-old Erica Kenny, who also pleaded not guilty to a charge of endangering the welfare of children stemming from the videos, and 28-year-old Chanese White, were released on their own recognizance following their respective court appearances Friday.
Both said little other than to enter their pleas. They have not yet returned attorneys.
After the workers were charged Tuesday with child abuse, the Lightbridge Academy center in Cranford said in a statement that it was "shocked and saddened by" the allegations.
Center officials say they learned of the allegations in mid-August and suspended the workers. Both were fired a short time later. Though no children were "physically harmed" in the fihgts, the day care said it has a zero tolerance policy "for anyone who acts in conflict with the safety and well-being of children."
Prosecutors and police say Kenny and White instigated the "Fight Club" among children ages 4 to 6 on at least one day last month. Authorities also said Kenny recorded video of the fights and shared the clips with several friends on social media.
Union County investigators say about a dozen boys and girls are shown in the clips shoving one another to the ground and trying to hit one another.
Several parents whose children attended the center said they were outraged to learn of the allegations. But many also praised the center for the way it handled the situation.
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Lindsey Bengivenga Klimuc told NJ.com that her son went to the center for three weeks before she decided to pull him out because he didn't seem to enjoy it.
"I am so sad for all the parents who had children involved," she said. "I hope these awful people get what they deserve."
