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A woman has been charged with 25 counts of child abuse at a south-west London nursery where parents pay up to £1,900 a month for childcare.
Detectives investigating concerns about the management and welfare of children at Twickenham Green Montessori have charged a member of staff with a series of crimes.
Roksana Lecka, 21, of Hounslow, is charged with 12 counts of child cruelty, 12 counts of actual battery and one count of attempted grievous bodily harm.
She was remanded in custody and appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 25.
The Metropolitan Police said officers from the South West Child Abuse Investigation Team launched a rapid investigation after concerns were raised on July 2. Police did not say how many alleged victims were involved.
Lecka was arrested three days later and charged this week.
The Independent understands that childcare sessions have been suspended at the nursery, where children aged four and under are looked after with monthly fees ranging from £589.15 to £1,893.
Part of a group of six nurseries in south-west London under the Riverside Nursery Schools umbrella, Twickenham Green Montessori was rated ‘good’ when it was inspected by Ofsted in March 2022.
It is believed that some children who attended the Twickenham Green nursery have found temporary places at other nurseries in the group.
Detective Superintendent Ian Cameron, of the South West Regional Public Protection Team, said: “I understand the concern this has caused in the community, particularly among parents with young children in day care.
“These are very serious allegations, which is why we have quickly launched a thorough investigation.
“We continue to work closely with the nursery, Ofsted and local authorities and our investigations are ongoing.”
Lecka is due to appear in Kingston court on August 21.
A spokesperson for Twickenham Green Nursery said: “We are unable to comment on the legal case as the legal proceedings are ongoing. However, we can confirm that as soon as concerns were raised the member of staff was suspended. We followed the appropriate procedures and the relevant authorities were informed.
“Ofsted has suspended the nursery’s registration pending its investigation, which is standard procedure in these circumstances, and the children have been offered places in nearby nurseries.
“We have been communicating with the parents of the children in our daycare to keep them informed of the evolving situation. The safety and well-being of all our children remains our number one priority.”
