An elementary school employee in New Jersey is accused of intentionally contaminating food and kitchen equipment with bodily fluids and bleach, prompting criminal charges and outraged parents.
On Monday, officials with the Upper Deerfield School District notified New Jersey State Police about social media posts allegedly created by Giovanni Impellizzeri, a janitor at Elizabeth Moore School in Upper Deerfield Township, about 35 miles south of Philadelphia.
“Authorities retrieved multiple screenshots and video postings of defendant in a school setting performing sexual acts with inanimate objects at the school,” Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in a press release.
A probable cause affidavit prepared by law enforcement and obtained by CrimeOnline details the disturbing allegations:
Upon review of the post and videos, various videos of Giovanni Impellizzeri were located in which he utilized various utensils and items from the school to wipe his penis, testicles, and anus. Giovanni Impellizzeri was seen masturbating and urinating on pillows and kitchen bowls. Video showed Giovanni Impellizzeri spraying bleach into a container of cucumbers, that was later served to children at the school, with the intention of harming the students. Video showed Giovanni Impellizzeri utilized multiple pieces of bread to wipe his penis, testicles, and anus, as well as spitting on the bread, before putting the bread back into the container to be served to children at the school.
It was not immediately clear when the alleged conduct occurred, but police were investigating to determine the timeline.
Impellizzeri, 25, has worked at the school since September 2019. He faces charges of third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree tampering with food, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree attempted endangerment of the welfare of a child, and second-degree official misconduct.
Horrified parents say school officials were slow to act after learning of the allegations and have not been sufficiently forthcoming about the situation.
The school has said it learned of the allegations on Monday and contacted law enforcement the same day. Police arrested Impellizzeri on Tuesday. On Wednesday the school issued a robocall informing parents that an employee had been placed on leave. The district notified the public health department and sent another communication to parents on Thursday.
“Kids are getting sick, having diarrhea, vomiting, and we’re blaming it on a belly bug when in reality it could be hepatitis, it could be food poisoning,” Cristencia Jenkins told WPVI-TV. “Like, who knows what else he’s putting in there?”
Another parent, Shatora Sheikh, said she grew ill just learning of the allegations and is now demanding answers from the school.
“I wanted to throw up,” Sheikh told CBS News.”I was sick to my stomach literally not knowing if my kids, my daughter, particularly that goes to that school, had eaten anything, touched anything.”
Impellizzeri is being hospitalized for reasons that have not been released publicly and is expected to be in court on Monday for a detention hearing, according to WPVI-TV.
The district attorney’s office said school officials are fully cooperating and working with the Cumberland County Department of Health to ensure that all utensils and food preparation spaces are sanitized and safe. Certain foods also have been discarded.
“In addition, authorities are taking steps to collect bodily fluid specimens from the defendant to determine if there is any potential for infectious disease transmission to those that consumed food at the school. Once a determine is made, notification and next steps will be provided by the health department to ensure the health and safety of those involved,” Webb-McRae, the prosecutor, said in the press release.
Parents were told to contact their healthcare providers if they suspect any illnesses related to the allegations.
Some parents have already taken action. Dawn Gilliard said when she found out about the situation, she contacted her son’s pediatrician and arranged for testing.
“I had to subject my 11-year-old to get bloodwork and he’s petrified of stuff like that,” Gilliard told NJ.com. “He shouldn’t have to go through that.”
To report information about Impellizzeri or the case, call New Jersey State Police Detective Alex Angerman at 856-451-0101 or visit CCPO.TIPS.
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[Feature Photo: Giovanni Impellizzeri/Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office]
