Two staff members from the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center in Morganton have been charged following an alleged assault on residents during an outing in Burke County on Wednesday.
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office was contacted after reports emerged that two staff members assaulted two residents of the center during a supervised recreational outing at Spring Park in the eastern part of the county.
Someone witnessed one of the workers, Benny Edward Brice IV, choke a resident and shove them into a fence, according to a warrant.
He’s also accused of kicking a person off a picnic table causing them to break a bone.
The incident prompted a full investigation by the authorities.
Investigators said they reviewed surveillance video from the park prior to making the arrests.
The J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center serves adults with intellectual disabilities, offering various levels of care and support.
Brice was charged with felony assault on an individual with a disability. He received a $50,000 secured bond and has a court date set for Monday.
Zolio Collado Jr. was charged with misdemeanor assault on an individual with a disability. He was given a $20,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on August 18.
The employees were put on leave because of the investigation.
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