Camden, N.J. – Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer filed additional charges against Maggie Fruit, 21, of Somerdale.
On July 15th, Lindenwold Police were called to the Forever Young Daycare after a child’s mother alleged that she witnessed him being abused by Fruit, his classroom teacher. As part of the investigation, officers reviewed surveillance video from that day. As a result, Fruit was charged with First Degree Attempted Murder and Third Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child for assaulting two one-year-old children on that date.
Fruit was released on pre-trial monitoring over the State’s objection at her detention hearing one week later.
Fruit had been working at the daycare center for a short time as the lead teacher in charge of a classroom of one-year-old children.
Detectives from the CCPO Special Victim’s Unit and the Lindenwold Police Department continued investigating by reviewing all available surveillance footage for the time period prior to the initial incident. They observed six additional children were allegedly abused by Fruit while under her care at the center.
As such, additional charges were filed against Fruit. Those charges are nine counts of Aggravated Assault, eight counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and four counts Criminal Restraint.
Fruit was arrested on the new charges and was lodged at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Detective Jovan Plaza at 856-225-8493 or Lindenwold Police Detective Joe Tomasetti at 856-784-7566.
