Warwick elementary school principal faces judge

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — The Warwick elementary principal accused of covering up child on child sexual abuse at the school faced a judge Monday.

55-year-old Colleen Mercurio pleaded not guilty Monday morning to failing to report child abuse. That charge is a misdemeanor.

Police tell ABC6 News they were notified this summer that a child had been repeatedly abusing another child for the past two years.

According to the court affidavit, the girl would touch the other girl’s private parts under her clothing on the bus home from Cedar Hill Elementary School.

The document states the victim’s parents alerted principal Mercurio in November of last year, but that Mercurio never notified DCYF.

Mercurio is on administrative leave from the school and is due back in court January 22nd.

Her lawyer tells ABC6 she is anxious to have herself exonerated.

ABC6 reached out to the school department, but were told the superintendent does not comment on personnel matters.

©WLNE-TV /ABC6 2017