By Maria D’Agostino,Samantha Kummerer

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WATERTOWN, MASS. (WHDH) – Julie Staadecker enrolled her 3-year-old son in Early Steps Early Childhood Center in Watertown in 2022.

“My son was excited to start school and be a big kid,” said Staadecker.

Her son Cameron has autism, and the preschool offered all his necessary services in one place. But for seven months, Staadecker says the place meant to support him, failed.

A teacher’s aide reported teacher Maureen Connolly for mistreating Cameron and other students in March 2023.

The state’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) investigated and found the claims were true.

“The teacher called Cam stupid and dumb and disgusting so often in front of the other kids in his class, sorry that one is still hard to say, that the other kids started to repeat those names to him too,” Staadecker revealed. “I’m never letting my child step foot in that building again.”

The aide also told DCF that “Cameron was pushed in a cabinet and pulled by the ear.”

Staadecker said her son came home in a soiled diaper every day.

“He was locked in the bathroom repeatedly, but once he was locked in for an hour screaming and crying without any assistance or help,” she said.

DCF and police reports show Connolly also tripped and pushed other students, and picked one up by their hood and dropped them.

After going to court on charges of assault and battery involving a child, a judge placed her on probation for two years.

“While there was one individual who has now gone through the court system for her abuse of the kids, we definitely feel like the school system needs to be held responsible and ultimately hasn’t been,” Staadecker said.

Julie and three other families received a $300,000 settlement from Watertown Public Schools, but she said she still can’t understand why the teacher’s aide waited months to report the abuse.

“I mean it’s devastating. It’s horrific. I just can’t fathom what would have prevented them from reporting it,” Staadecker said.

The law states anyone working with students must report abuse within two days of witnessing it, or face fines and even jail time.

The teacher’s aide who spoke up said she was afraid to come forward.

“If people are afraid to come forward, I think that points to a problem with the administrators themselves, so I think they should be looked at as well,” Staadecker said.

A Watertown Public Schools spokesperson said staff are trained every year on mandatory reporting. In a statement, they said, “We unequivocally condemn any mistreatment and misconduct towards children.”

The district says once notified, it immediately reported the abuse to DCF and was cleared of wrongdoing.

Connolly is no longer working with Watertown Public Schools.

“None of us will really recover from this. There is a certain relief in being able to move on but what is inside never really goes away,” Staadecker said.

She hopes speaking out will give school employees the courage to do what’s right when they see something that’s wrong.

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