Caretaker accused of mistreating student with special needs
A caretaker is facing multiple charges for alleged physical behavior against a student with special needs.
Denese Hendon, who the Allegheny County Police Department said is "a school-based certified nursing assistant," is charged with neglect and abuse of a dependent person after police said she was physically aggressive toward a 21-year-old non-verbal man in her care.
On May 5, police said Hendon and the man were riding in a school transport van from his home in McCandless to the Watson Institute in Sewickley, where he's a student.
Police said surveillance video from the van showed the student drinking a bottle of water and trying to hand it to Hendon. They said she is seen "[taking his hand] and [putting] the bottle and [his] hand into [a] cupholder… forcefully [pulling] his hand off of the bottle."
Less than a minute later, police said "Hendon pulls [his] head back by his shirt collar and pushes [him] into the seat using her wrist placed against his neck."
They said Hendon then placed the student's safety helmet on his head with force and held him down "by the chin strap" for nearly six minutes.
The van driver told police Hendon told her "[the student] was 'spoiled' and that his family should work more on him being more independent."
Investigators said Hendon "disregarded any de-escalation techniques specific to [the student], failed to provide his PRN medication as instructed…" and "failed to notify [a designated person] of the incident as instructed."
According to police, Hendon was contracted through ProCare Therapy, a school staffing agency, for the North Allegheny School District.
The district told KDKA that, due to the active investigation, it "has no further comment… other than to note that Hendon was not employed by the district, and the school van was not a District-owned vehicle," rather than one owned by a subcontractor.
Meanwhile, the Watson Institute told KDKA it's "cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities."
KDKA also reached out to Hendon's attorney. He said he has no comment at this time, and KDKA contacted ProCare Therapy, but has not heard back.
A judge released Hendon on her own recognizance to appear in court for her preliminary hearing on June 10.
