2 women arrested over staging child 'fight club' at US nursery

New York, Sep 3: Two women in the US have been arrested for organising a "Fight Club" where pre-schoolers and kindergartners were encouraged to brawl with each other on a playground at a US nursery.

Erica Kenny, 22, of Cranford, and Chanese White, 28, of Roselle -- both former day care workers -- referenced the movie 'Fight Club' as they encouraged pre-schoolers and kindergartners to fight each other on the playground at the Lightbridge Academy in Cranford, New Jersey.

"About a dozen children -- boys and girls between the ages 4 and 6 -- just fighting; throwing each other to the ground; hitting each other," said Union County Prosecutor Grace Park. Kenny allegedly shot video of the fights and sent them to a group of people on an app, prosecutors said.

"Most parents would be astonished by the behaviour," Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park told WCBS-TV.

The videos show about a dozen boys and girls shoving each other to the ground and trying to hit each other, according to prosecutors. The charges stem from August 13, but investigators are looking into whether the fights were ongoing.

"We don't believe there were any serious injuries at this point, but we are still investigating the case," Park was quoted as saying by CBS News.

Prosecutors said the former workers staged the fights for pure pleasure. The two women have been fired from their jobs.

"As parents and caregivers, we are shocked and saddened by this isolated incident and we have assisted the prosecutor's office from the start of its investigation into this matter," Lightbridge Academy said in a statement.

White faces up to 18 months in prison while Kenny could get up to five years. The actions of the two accused are reminiscent of the movie 'Fight Club' in which Edward Norton who plays an unnamed protagonist forms a "fight club" with soap maker Tyler Durden, played by Bradd Pitt, and they are joined by men who also want to fight recreationally.

PTI