MIDDLETOWN, CT — A teacher at the Town & Country Early Learning Center has been arrested following an incident where a 2-year-old child was assaulted. The Middletown Police Special Investigations Unit initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint on January 12, 2024, regarding the assault at the facility located at 195 South Main Street in Middletown.
The accused, Kristie Kovarcik, 47, of Haddam, CT, was observed on surveillance footage handling the child in a manner that resulted in the child being thrown to the side, causing the child’s head to hit a nearby wall. This action led to a minor contusion above the child’s right eye. The facility’s director, after hearing the commotion, reviewed the surveillance footage, witnessed the incident, and took immediate action by removing the child from the situation and notifying both the parents and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).
One parent who watched the video described the incident as Kovarcik throwing the child ‘like a piece of luggage’ in an interview with a local station.
Following a thorough investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Kovarcik, charging her with Risk of Injury to a Minor and Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree. Kovarcik surrendered to the authorities on February 26, 2024, was processed, and subsequently released on a Written Promise to Appear in Middletown Court on March 11, 2024.
In response to the incident, Town & Country Early Learning Center has confirmed that Kovarcik’s employment was terminated. The case highlights the critical importance of child safety and the rigorous enforcement of laws designed to protect minors.