Roshann Mark is accused of child abuse at Way to Grow Daycare in Patchogue

A former East Patchogue daycare worker abused the children in her care, pulling two 3-year-olds by the arms and hitting a third in the back of the head, authorities said Saturday.

Suffolk County police said they arrested Roshann Mark, 33, of Bohemia, around 9:30 a.m. following a week-long investigation into an alleged incident on Oct. 17 at The way to growth day care center at 655 Montauk Highway.

She was charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.

The day care center was closed Saturday and a message left on their voice mail service was not immediately returned.

Way to Grow, owned and operated by The Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk Inc., according to their website, failed the test from the state Office for Children and Families, which oversees child care facilities, the day after the alleged incident.

Children’s Services charged the center, which cares for 150 children, 16 infants, 30 toddlers, 52 preschoolers and 72 school-age children, for violating eight policies, including a ban on corporal punishment, using disciplinary tactics that “frighten, humiliate or humiliate” a child and not immediately report the incident to the State Central Child Abuse Registry, according to the state agency’s website.

Inspectors visited Way to Grow three more times in 2024, according to records. In April, the center underwent a surprise inspection. In May, a complaint to the agency found that the children were being left without competent supervision, but another visit by the agency after the complaint found no violations. The day care was also cited in December 2022 for not having a health plan for staff in place and in March 2023 for not having adequate staffing, according to the state’s website.

Marks could not be reached for comment. She is expected to be arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip later this week.