Two former staff members at Emporia State’s Center for Early Childhood Education have been charged after an investigation into allegations of child abuse.
The center’s former director, Keely Persinger, faces a single charge of failing to report suspected abuse or neglect, according to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office.
Kimberly Schneider, a former teacher, the subject of the original investigation, faces five counts of child endangerment.
Persinger and Schneider are expected to appear for pretrial hearings at 8:30 a.m. on June 18 at the Lyon County Courthouse.
Originally overseen by the Kansas Department of Children and Families, the case was forwarded to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office for review in May 2017.
Last Spring, it was alleged children at the center were held down during naps and grabbed roughly by a teacher, now identified as Schneider.
Persinger and Schneider both appeared in court Wednesday for first appearance. They both have retained counsel.
