Third Little City Employee Charged With Punching Disabled Boy, 11
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A third employee of a Palatine center for the developmentally disabled has been charged with beating an 11-year-old boy.
Kalia Coffey was charged with aggravated battery to a child for allegedly punching the special needs child in the face with a closed fist on June 17, 2016, at Little City.
The Cook County Sheriff's office said the 11-year-old boy is the same child who was the victim of another attack on Dec. 1, 2016, when two other employees at Little City allegedly punched him and hit him with a bucket.
Cara Smith, chief policy officer for Sheriff Tom Dart, said the latest incident was not reported to sheriff's police until Jan. 23 – by DCFS, not by Little City, which provides services to the developmentally disabled.
Ronkeia Harper, 22, of Forest Park, and Lisa Archer, 39, of Palatine, each were charged with aggravated battery in the most recent incident.
After the alleged incident, Coffey was put on administrative leave and was terminated shortly thereafter, a Little City spokesperson said.
"We find it extremely devastating that the horrific actions of a few former staff overshadow the countless caring acts carried out every day by a dedicated and responsible team," the spokesperson says. "We consistently seek committed and compassionate individuals to join our team, either on a volunteer or an employment basis."