Roshanne Marks accused of violence against kids at Way to Grow day care in Patchogue

A former East Patchogue nursery school worker became violent with the toddlers in her charge, dragging two 3-year-olds by their arms and hitting a third on the back of the head, authorities said Saturday.

Suffolk County police said they arrested Roshanne Marks, 33, of Bohemia, around 9:30 a.m. after a weeklong investigation of the alleged Oct. 17 incident at the Way to Grow day care center at 655 Montauk Hwy.

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

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

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

The child welfare agency cited the center, which cares for 150 children, 16 infants, 30 toddlers, 52 preschoolers and 72 school-age children, for violating eight regulations — including a prohibition of corporal punishment, using disciplinary tactics that “frighten, demean or humiliate” a child and not immediately reporting the incident to Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment, according to the state agency’s website.

Inspectors visited Way to Grow three other times in 2024, according to records. In April the center passed an unannounced inspection. In May, a complaint to the agency found children left without competent supervision, but another visit from the agency after a complaint found no violation. The day care was also cited in December 2022 for failure to have a health plan available for staff on-site and again in March 2023 for lacking proper staffing, according to the state website.

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