Ex-Day Care Workers Denied Probation Program After Allegedly Starting 'Fight Club' For Kids

ELIZABETH, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Two former New Jersey day care workers were denied admission into a pre-trial probationary program after being accused of organizing a "fight club" for preschool children under their care.

Erica Kenny, 22, of Cranford, and Chanese White, 28, of Roselle, are accused of referencing the movie 'Fight Club' when encouraging preschoolers and kindergartners aged 4-6 to fight each other on the playground at Lightbridge Academy in Cranford earlier this year.

Kenny allegedly shot a videos of about a dozen boys and girls shoving each other to the ground and trying to hit each other. Kenny then allegedly sent the video to people on the social media app Snapchat.

Admission into the Pre-Trial Intervention program would have resulted in the dismissal of all charges and wiped their records. Union County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Sheets said Wednesday that Kenny and White's applications were rejected by the PTI program's director.

Kenny and White are each charged with fourth-degree child abuse. Kenny was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly recording the fights.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty. Superior Court Judge William Daniel says the case will go before a grand jury for a hearing on the charges.

If convicted, White faces up to 18 months in prison --- Kenny could get up to five years.

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