Au pair charged with assault and battery on Swampscott child, 7

LYNN – A judge ordered an 18-year-old German au pair to have no contact with children under 14 and not enter Swampscott after the woman allegedly pinched an autistic child in her care.But the woman’s attorney said the defendant was trying to defend herself from a kicking child whom the defendant had only just learned was autistic.Regina Weber, 18, was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a disabled person with injury; on Sunday.She was arraigned on the charge Monday in Lynn District Court, where a plea of not guilty was entered on her behalf.The father of the alleged victim told police Sunday that Weber arrived Nov. 21 as a live-in au pair for the family’s three children, according to a report by Swampscott Police Officer Brendan Reen.The father said he and his wife returned from dinner Saturday and Weber told them one of the children (whom the parent told officers had been diagnosed with autism and has a form of speech delay) had been difficult, according to court documents.The father reported to police that Weber told them the child “did not listen and tried to kick her (Weber) while Weber tried to get (the alleged victim’s) pajama pants on,” according to police.Weber told the parents she had to hold the child’s leg down to get the child dressed, the father reportedly told police. The father said Weber did not call the parents nor did the parents call Weber during the evening, according to court documents.The alleged victim, a 7-year-old, separately told the mother and police Weber had pinched her. The parents and police noted bruises on the alleged victim’s thigh and wrists, according to court documents.Weber told police Sunday she knew the alleged victim had speech delay and had epilepsy but did not know the alleged victim has autism until that evening, according to court documents. Weber said the alleged victim became “physically resistant” as Weber tried to put the child’s pajama pants on her and Weber had to hold the child down on the bed. Both the alleged victim and Weber allegedly began crying and allegedly agreed they were not happy about what had occurred.Weber told police she was not allowed to see the bruises but told the mother she was “so sorry” and “did not do (the bruising) on purpose,” according to court documents. The mother said she believed Weber, according to Weber.The alleged victim was taken to the hospital to have the injuries photographed, and both police and hospital staff filed notices with the Department of Children and Services, according to police. Police also noted Weber told them she had tickets to travel back to her home in Germany on Monday.Essex Assistant District Attorney Aimee Conway discussed the matter with defense attorney Randi Potash before the arraignment and recommended Weber be released on pretrial probation, according to a spokesman for Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office.Judge James LaMothe accepted the recommendation with conditions that Weber have no contact with children under the age of 14, stay away from Swampscott, surrender her passport and be monitored by GPS.Potash said Monday evening Weber did not pinch the alleged victim and was trying to protect herself from being kicked in the face.”She’s an innocent girl wrongly accused,” Potash said. “All she’s doing is protecting herself.She’s not obliged to let somebody, anybody, kick her in the face.”Potash said Weber had graduated from the equivalent of high school and has minimal support in the United States.A spokesperson for Au Pair in America, the Connecticut company which hired and placed Weber, said Weber will not be working or in contact with children while the case is pending.”Regina Weber is being supervised by our personnel while this case makes its way through the court system,” organization spokesperson Nancy Sterling said in a statement. “She will not be working, nor be in contact with any children during this time. We have been in touch with her parents in Germany.”Sterling said she coul