Second worker charged with abusing children at Cranberry Township daycare

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A second worker has been charged with abusing children at a local daycare.

Charges were filed against Richa Gupte, 38, an assistant group supervisor at Allie Alligator Learning Center off Commerce Park Drive in Cranberry Township. Investigators say she broke a 2-year-old’s elbow in early June.               

According to the police report, the child was reaching for a toy when Gupte forcefully pulled on the child’s arm.

About a month earlier, police arrested 26-year-old Joshua Branstetter. They said he pushed a 3-year-old’s face into a bed frame during nap time, causing swelling to the child’s head.

According to the police report, the push was so forceful that Branstetter’s leg lifted off the ground and he rocked himself forward. Additionally, the force caused the bed to move forward a few inches.

Sarah Lalonde is a parent and former employee at the Cranberry location. She said she removed her daughter from the center after an incident in the bathroom with an employee.

“She had grabbed her and dragged her to the sink, aggressively washed her hands, threw her on the wall, and was very aggressive yelling at her,” Lalonde said.

She took photos of her daughter’s arms and removed her shortly after in January of this year.

“I feel like I made the best decision, and I regret not doing it sooner,” Lalonde said.

Channel 11 reached out to Allie Alligator for comment, but has not heard back at this time.

Gupte is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on August 29, and Branstetter’s hearing is set for August 15.

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