Ramona Fiorillo is being charged with assault on a child under 12 and misdemeanor child abuse.
According to court documents, Fiorillo was employed at the Cornerstone Learning Center in Wake County when the charges were filed.
A child care center employee was terminated from her position and arrested on Friday.
A Fuquay-Varina Police Department arrest warrant alleges that Fiorillo forcefully lifted a 4-year-old child, forcefully placing them onto a chair and applying excessive pressure to their cheeks, resulting in bruising.
The director at Cornerstone has provided a statement to WRAL News, confirming that Fiorillo is no longer employed at the company.
“At Cornerstone Learning Center, our goal is to create a welcoming and compassionate atmosphere, offer enriching classrooms for young children, and support their overall growth and well-being,” shared Savannah Ray. “The staff, directors, and owners at Cornerstone are taking this one-time incident very seriously.” The teacher in question has been promptly terminated from Cornerstone Learning Center. We are committed to working closely with the state to facilitate the investigation. We are currently prioritizing the well-being of our students and their families, and therefore, we have no additional comments at this time.
Many parents who reached out to WRAL News expressed their belief that the incident did not reflect Fiorillo’s true character. They praised her as an exceptional mentor for the children.
Fiorillo, a 68-year-old employee, had a tenure of seven years at Cornerstone. She was released from jail on a written promise to appear in court on Aug. 26.