Lancaster Township daycare worker charged with fracturing girl’s leg has case proceed to county court

A Lancaster Township daycare teacher charged with breaking a young girl’s leg will have her case proceed to county court following a preliminary hearing last month.

Judge William Mankin ruled Jan. 28 that the case of Kathryn Michelle Taska, of the 900 block of Clark Street, could proceed to the Court of Common Pleas on a single count each of endangering the welfare of children and aggravated assault.

Taska, 27, is accused of breaking the victim’s leg as she cared for her at the Quarryville-area day care where she worked sometime the morning of Nov. 3.

When the victim’s mother picked up the child from the Shining Star Child Care in the first block of South Hess Street, she found her “inconsolable and not acting herself,” she later told police. The victim was taken to a local hospital where it was determined that she had suffered a fracture to her left leg.

Medical professionals determined that the injury could not have occurred by accident.

Lancaster County Children and Youth Services contacted police two days later to report the suspected abuse.

During an interview with police, Taska changed her story of the day’s events multiple times. Taska also knew about the victim’s injury before being asked any questions or being told who the child was.

Later in the interview Taska told police she had spoken to the victim’s mother and the day care’s assistant director about the victim’s leg appearing to be injured. Neither the victim’s mother nor the day care’s assistant director told police Taska had ever spoken to them.

An investigation revealed that Taska was the only person to be alone with the victim before she was injured.

Taska is currently free on $25,000 unsecured bail.

Quarryville Borough Police Officer Jonathan Keene filed the charges.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.