Rockland County District Attorney Announces Indictment of Teaching Assistant at the Jesse J. Kaplan School for Endangering the Welfare of Two Physically Disabled Children

District Attorney Tom Walsh announces that the Grand Jury of Rockland County has voted an indictment against Catherine Rios, 54, of Nyack, NY charging her with Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the First Degree (two counts) (a class “E” Felony) and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (two counts) (a class “A” Misdemeanor).

On January 21, 2025, while employed at and acting in her capacity as a teaching assistant at the Jesse J. Kaplan School located at 65 Parrott Road, West Nyack, NY, the defendant knowingly acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of persons who are unable to care for themselves because of a physical disability, mental disease or defect when, while in the school pool with students, Rios did push the heads of two non-verbal autistic children, ages 6 and 7 under water with both of her hands.

The incident was investigated by the Town of Clarkstown Police Department.

The defendant will be arraigned before the Honorable Kevin Russo in the County Court of Rockland County on May 28, 2025, at 9:30 am.

The case is being prosecuted by Executive Assistant District Attorney Kristin Tirino and Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Reilly.

**It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and that a defendant should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. **