Speech therapist pleads guilty to battering child at Sonora school
A Tuolumne County speech therapist has pleaded guilty to battering a young student with autism on a school campus, while two school administrators face misdemeanor charges for allegedly failing to report the incident as required by law, according to the county District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke announced that Mary McGrew of Sonora pleaded guilty last week to misdemeanor battery on school property stemming from a Jan. 23, 2025, incident at Sonora Elementary School.
Prosecutors said McGrew battered a 7-year-old child with autism while working in her capacity as a speech therapist in a classroom. At the time, she was employed by the county Superintendent of Schools office.
The plea was entered Jan. 28 in front of Judge David Beyersdorf. McGrew was sentenced to one year of summary probation and ordered to complete 25 hours of community service and 25 weeks of therapy, pay a $220 fine, and write an apology letter to the victim and his family. She also will be prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years.
The negotiated disposition was reached with the support of the victim’s family, which was present in court when McGrew entered her plea, the District Attorney’s Office said.
“The child victim in this case was completely innocent of any wrongdoing and one of our most vulnerable children,” Jenecke said in a statement. “Any allegations to the contrary are untrue and were never supported by the evidence.”
In a related development, prosecutors charged Sonora Elementary School Superintendent Cheryl Griffiths and former Vice Principal Kristiane Quinn with misdemeanor violations of California’s mandated reporter law for allegedly failing to report the incident to law enforcement and child welfare authorities.
According to the DA’s Office, Sonora police learned of the incident not from school staff or administrators but from the child’s parents, who were not informed about the battery until 12 days after it occurred.
Under California law, mandated reporters are required to make an initial report of suspected child abuse immediately or as soon as practicable, followed by a written report within 36 hours.
Griffiths was cited and released Friday after an arrest warrant was issued and signed by a judge. She is scheduled to appear in court March 4. Quinn, who now resides out of county, was notified of the warrant and given an opportunity to turn herself in to the Sonora Police Department.
“The District Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the children in our community,” Jenecke said. “Failure to report suspected child abuse as required by law will be addressed by our office when possible and appropriate.”
No additional comments will be provided while the cases remain pending, the DA’s Office said.
