Mother alleges son abused at Mississauga Montessori as police charge teacher with assault

A mother is speaking out about alleged violence she says her son endured at a Mississauga Montessori school.

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A mother is speaking out after she says her young son was abused at his Montessori in Mississauga.

Speaking on Wednesday, the mother, who CTV News is only identifying as Tanya to protect her children’s identities, said the school, Western Heights Montessori Academy, called her to notify her about incidents involving her son.

The school then posted a “Serious Occurrence Notification” in the hallway earlier this month, which detailed the allegations.

The notice read that an Early Childhood Education (ECE) placement student reported “potential abuse” to the head office administration on Jan. 30, 2026.

“A teacher was reported to hit a child during nap time under the blanket, deprived the same child of food and pulled the child’s hair,” the notice read.

“The teacher was reported to have done similar actions towards the same child multiple times during the ECE placement student’s time there, which is between Nov. 17 and Dec. 19, 2025.”

In the notice, it stated that the school would be investigating the situation “asap” by interviewing the teachers and gathering camera footage if it was available.

“While the investigation is taking place, the teacher in question will be asked to be on leave until the investigation results are back,” it read. In addition to informing the parents, the school would also report the incident to the Children’s Aid Society.

The alleged abuses, which occurred at the Montessori’s Millcreek campus, have left the boy’s mother shaken.

“I just couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t understand it,” Tanya said. “I had a hard time understanding — why? Why?”

When CTV News reached out to Peel Regional Police about whether they are investigating an assault at the school, they would only confirm that a 43-year-old “Montessori-trained teacher in classroom,” identified as Fouzia Omair from Mississauga, was arrested on Feb. 21 and charged with two counts of assault.

Police did not disclose the allegations that led to the charges.

Family sues Montessori, 4 staff

Tanya shared that her son dreaded going to school after what allegedly happened.

“I just thought he was missing me, so we worked on it. We would sing songs on the days we’d go to daycare, not knowing that there was probably something else there,” she said.

The family has since launched a $2-million civil lawsuit against Western Heights Group and four early childhood educators, including Omair.

In the statement of claim filed on Feb. 11, it is alleged that the boy was “subjected to physical and emotional abuse while under the exclusive care, custody and control” of the Montessori and staff between July 2025 and Jan. 2026.

The alleged abuses by staff included slapping, which resulted in bruises, pulling of hair and denial of food, according to the statement of claim.

It stated that the boy “sustained serious and permanent physical and psychological injuries,” as a result of the alleged abuse.

“I was so sorry that this happened to him. He probably was really scared,” the boy’s mom said.

“In the middle of the night, he wakes up multiple times, he mentions this teacher’s name.”

Tanya said she now blames herself for what her son went through, especially since he was just two years old at the time and wouldn’t be able to tell her if anything else happened.

Also included in the lawsuit is the alleged 2023 incident in which Tanya’s daughter was locked alone in a classroom at the same school for an extended period of time. The claim stated the girl, who was three years old at the time, “sustained serious and permanent psychological injuries.”

Tanya said the Children’s Aid Society got involved in that case and determined that the incident was a mistake and not intentional.

“It’s not about the money,” Tanya said about the lawsuit. “The pain that we’re going through every day, the pain of my child—how can I erase that?”

According to the statement of claim, the two children sustained bruising, loss of hair, malnutrition, anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disturbances emotional distress and fear of attending school.

The claim also stated that the children’s “enjoyment of life have been diminished and their ability to engage in normal childhood, social and recreational activities have been impaired, both presently and into the future.”

The family is seeking $350,000 in general damages and $1,650,000 in special damages.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

According to the family’s lawyer, Christine Boulos, of Ristich Law, no statement of defence has been filed to date.

Montessori responds

For its part, Western Heights Montessori Academy said that, given the ongoing legal matter, it is limited in what it can say.

“The safety and well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority. We take any concerns involving student safety extremely seriously. When concerns were brought forward, the school promptly notified the appropriate authorities in accordance with its legal obligations and is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation,” it said in a statement provided to CTV News Toronto.

The school added that it remains committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.

Since the lawsuit was filed, the family said they’ve heard from other parents about more allegations. They are urging any affected parents to reach out.

Tanya has since moved her son, who is now three years old, to another daycare.

After the ordeal her son went through, Tanya said she now sits outside the new daycare for hours to ensure her son is okay.

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:

• Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety.
• The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres' website has a comprehensive list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling.
• The Ending Violence Association of Canada‘s website has links to helplines, support services and locations across Canada that offer sexual assault kits.
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis lines: [phone] or [phone] (24/7)
• Toronto Rape Crisis Centre crisis line: [phone] (24/7)
• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: [phone] (24/7)
• Trans Lifeline: [phone]
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
• Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre for current and former Canadian Armed Forces members: [phone]
• Read about your rights as a victim on the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime website.