Dreaweiss(edison):Are our children safe anywhere?

Child porn case at Naples preschool is “parent’s worst nightmare”

By Maggie Crane, WINK News

Story Created: Apr 1, 2009 at 10:41 PM EDT

Story Updated: Apr 1, 2009 at 11:26 PM EDT

NAPLES PARK, Fla. - Parents speak out about developing information in a case of child pornography at a Naples Park preschool.

They want to know how accused child molester Anthony Dinatale was allowed inside Ann Phillip Preschool with a criminal history. Detectives digging into Dinatale’s past now say they’re could be even more sex-related charges on the way, which are unrelated to what allegedly happened at the school.

“It’s a parent’s worst nightmare,” Ted Zelman, attorney, says.

An alleged criminal stopped by a 5-year-old — so says the victim’s attorney, after the little girl told teachers a man photographed her going to the bathroom and that he touched her. No one at the school called police. The victim’s parents did.

“Any responsible person would have contacted the proper authorities immediately,” JT Burnside, parent of preschooler, says.

Instead, detectives say the school’s owner called her stepson — the man now in jail, charged with crimes against kids. Dinatale’s own child attends the school, but parents say they went through background checks to be able to get inside. Dinatale has a previous record for burglary.

“Outrage is a good descriptive word (for how I felt),” Burnside says. “It’s upsetting that it can happen to anyone.”

Fearing for his own daughter’s safety, Burnside pulled his 3-year-old out of Ann Phillip Preschool.

“The parents are angry and frustrated,” Zelman says of the victim’s family. “They feel guilty they were the ones who put her in that school.”

But other parents — off camera — say the owner is also a victim.

“It’s about a 50/50 split between finger-pointing, laying blame and siding with (owner Kathy Dinatale),” Burnside says.

“These two families are the victims here — not anyone else,” Zelman says.

The school has been closed since Friday and will not reopen until DCF retrains its staff and makes sure the school is complying with the law.

The school’s owner will only say she is cooperating with authorities.

Leave a Reply