Lindenhurst daycare center worker arrested for assaulting infant

A daycare worker accused of injuring an infant at Tutor Time in Lindenhurst pleaded not guilty Saturday to assault, according to court records.

Megan Marchena, 26, of Massapequa pushed an 18-month-old girl’s face into a cot on Monday at the daycare center, causing an injury that required stitches and treatment at a local hospital, police said.

The child was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip by a private vehicle, police said. Child Protective Services was notified on Friday, leading to an investigation by detectives with the department’s Special Victims Section.

Marchena, a SUNY Schenectady County Community College early education graduate, is charged with second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. She adamantly denies both charges, said her defense attorney, Chase Brown.

“My client adamantly denies these allegations. And they are just allegations at this point. She has every presumption of innocence,” Brown told Greater Long Island. “We look forward to presenting our defense, which will clear of her of these allegations.”

Judge Pierce Cohalan set bail for Marchena at $5,000, or $10,000 bond. She is due back in court on Thursday.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Suffolk Police’s Special Victims Section at 631.852.6167.

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