20 school employees charged with child abuse

MEDIA, Pa. (WPHL) — Twenty Chester Community Charter School employees have been charged after they abused twenty-six children enrolled in the school.

According to District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, the children were all in grades K-5 and were enrolled in the school’s Team Approach to Achieving Academic Success (TAAS) program.

These charges come after the school received two reports in January 2025 of children “being afraid to attend school due to fears of being placed in “holds” by school staff.”

“This case is every parent’s nightmare. We send our children to school expecting the adults will keep them safe, not abuse them physically and emotionally,” said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. “Our investigation showed some staffers physically abusing children while others sat passively and watched. All the adults charged are equally guilty in failing to protect these children, some as young as 5 years old.” Stollsteimer continued.

The investigation found that nine of the defendants were abusing children by restraining and punishing them by pinching students on pressure points near their necks, holding them in restraints with their arms crossed in front of them, and putting a knee on their back and holding them on the ground.

Many of these abuses were captured on surveillance cameras.

Several employees were employees of a company called Peak Performers Staffing, LLC. The company assured investigators that the staff were trained in Safety-Care techniques.

The 20 individuals charged are:

• Raymond Harris
• Kabree Daniels;
• Christian Denny
• Martin Mincey, Jr.
• Harry Woodhouse, Jr
• Amaru Mohammed
• Leroy Campbell
• Adrian Hospedale
• Monica Griffin
• Daemon Pierce
• Don’Neisah King Pierce
• Arijah Clements
• Cyrus Barlee
• Neanne Edmonds
• Breshonna Belgrave
• Deja Bennett-Allen
• Ryan Ridley
• Maggie Moloney
• Dahkeem Williams
• Asia Pena

The following defendants were charged with multiple counts including Conspiracy, Simple Assault, Unlawful Restraint, False Imprisonment, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and Failure to Report Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

• Harris, Daniels, Denny, Mincey, Woodhouse, Mohammad, Campbell, Hopedale, and Griffin are each charged with

The following eleven defendants were charged with at least one, in most cases multiple, counts of Failure to Report the Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

• Pierce, King-Pierce, Clements, Barlee, Edmonds, Belgrave, Bennett-Allen, Ridley, Moloney, Williams, and Pena.

Officials say all of the defendants “are classified as mandated reporters of incidents of suspected child abuse under Pennsylvania Law.”

“I want to commend Chester Township Detective Patrick Mullen and Patrolman Michael J. Strofe, as well as Deputy District Attorney Kristen Kemp for their work in leading this investigation,” said Chester Township Police Chief Kenneth Coalson. “Our investigation revealed a toxic and abusive relationship existed inside Chester Community Charter School for children enrolled in the emotional support program. I am proud that today we are holding the support staff, teachers, and even a Dean of Students accountable for abusing or failing to report the abuse, of vulnerable children.” Coalson continued

As of publishing this article, none of the defendants are in custody but several have made arrangements to surrender.