STAATSBURG >> A 22-year-old employee of the Anderson Center for Autism was charged with endangerment after slapping a 17-year-old male resident of the facility across the face, state police said Wednesday.
Samantha Nador, of Pleasant Valley, was arrested by state police at Rhinebeck about 2 p.m. Monday and charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, a felony.
On Wednesday, Trooper Melissa McMorris said the incident was reported to police by the Anderson Center for Autism, which is on U.S. Route 9 in the Hyde Park hamlet of Staatsburg, “a couple of days ago” and was not sexual in nature. She said there were no visible injuries to the victim.
A police investigation found that, on Sept. 5, Nador “struck an autistic child in the face,” according to a state police press release.
Reached Wednesday, an official at the Anderson Center would not say whether Nador still was employed there because they “are unable to give out details about employment.”
But, said Eliza V. Bozenski, director of agency affairs, “the Anderson Center for Autism has never, does not and never will … condone unprofessional or abusive treatment of the people in our care by anybody.”
According to the Anderson Center’s website, its children’s program are ” funded and/or licensed and certified by the New York State Education Department, Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Office of Children and Family Services … (and) welcomes school-age children up to 21 years of age who have received a primary diagnosis of autism.”
Nador was released by police with a ticket to appear for Hyde Park Town Court.