Bronx nanny's arrest for alleged child abuse prompts calls for changes to ACS

CBS News

6 hours ago

A Bronx nanny was paid with taxpayer dollars to help care for children, but one family says she beat them with a belt instead.
The woman is now behind bars and that family wants reforms and accountability within the city's Administration for Children's Services.
They are not the only ones calling for change.
What the nanny is accused of
Family members of the children say their home security video shows 24-year-old nanny La'Keysha Jackson threatening to beat the kids with a belt in their Bronx apartment last month -- and then doing it.
The family of the boys, ages 2, 4 and 6, believes Jackson abused them for months.
"The kids are still traumatized," attorney Daniel Szalkiewicz said.
Szalkiewicz said the family is relieved Jackson was arrested Monday. She is now facing multiple counts of assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
"I spoke with the grandfather this morning and he had tears of joy. I spoke with the mother and she expressed to me how worried she was last night and every day, and now she can finally breathe a little bit easier," Szalkiewicz said.
Family wants accountability from the company and ACS
Jackson worked for an ACS contractor called Selfhelp Community Services.
"We'd love to see ACS hold these agencies accountable for the conduct of these employees," Szalkiewicz said. "We'd love to see ACS have training, and we would [like] ACS to come forward and say this is not acceptable and this is how we're gonna make it better."
ACS and Selfhelp would not agree to an interview, but both said in emails that they already use training, background checks, and other methods to improve care.
"The safety and well-being of New York City's children is our top priority, and we condemn these despicable actions. Our ACS-contracted homemaking services are supportive, in-home services that provide parents with hands-on training on how to successfully manage daily household tasks like laundry, cleaning and meal preparation. We hold our providers to the highest standards. The provider's employee was immediately terminated and we are actively conducting a full review of the contracted provider," ACS said in a statement.
"Selfhelp Community Services is aware of the allegation involving an individual who previously provided services through the ACS homemaking program. This individual has been terminated, and we are fully cooperating with investigations conducted by ACS and the NYPD. As the matter is under investigation, we cannot comment further," Selfelp said in a statement. "Selfhelp upholds strict hiring standards, including background checks, drug testing, and mandatory training to ensure professional, high-quality care."
"There is nothing more reprehensible than the abuse of children. We are grateful to the NYPD for apprehending this individual, and we trust that justice will be carried out swiftly and to the fullest extent of the law. Our administration is actively reviewing ACS' contract with the agency who hired this vile individual," a City Hall spokesperson said.
NYC DOI wants easier access to ACS records
Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber said she couldn't comment on the case, but she said she's calling for changes to the process of getting ACS records.
"We have to go to OCFS, the state agency, the Office of Child and Family Services, and we have to ask for permission to get the records that we want for any record involving an investigation, like I said, of an allegation of child abuse, and there are certain records we can't get," Strauber said.
Strauber added it's a lot easier to gain access to records at other city agencies.
The DOI is calling for state lawmakers to pass a new bill that would give it access to more ACS records.
ACS says it is committed to transparency, appreciates the DOI, and is looking forward to discussing the bill. ACS also says it's conducting a full review of Selfhelp.