NEW CITY, N.Y. — A Rockland County Grand Jury has indicted a teaching assistant for allegedly endangering the welfare of two physically disabled children at a local special education school, District Attorney Tom Walsh announced.
Catherine Rios, 54, of Nyack, was indicted on two counts of Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the First Degree, a class E felony, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor.
The charges stem from an incident on January 21, 2025, while Rios was working as a teaching assistant at the Jesse J. Kaplan School, located at 65 Parrott Road in West Nyack. According to the indictment, Rios allegedly pushed the heads of two non-verbal autistic children, ages 6 and 7, underwater using both hands while in the school pool.
Arraignment set for May 28
The Town of Clarkstown Police Department conducted the investigation, which led to the indictment. The children involved were described as having physical disabilities and were unable to care for themselves due to mental or developmental conditions.
Rios is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Kevin Russo in Rockland County Court on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The case will be prosecuted by Executive Assistant District Attorney Kristin Tirino and Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Reilly.
A Rockland County teaching assistant faces felony charges after allegedly pushing two young autistic students underwater at a special education school.
