Ex-nanny sues jailed heiress over kitchen assault in 2006

The Nicaraguan child-care worker roughed up by Main Line nanny-beater Susan Tabas Tepper last May has sued her former employer for assault and battery.

Xiomara D. Salinas, 43, who won a criminal case in February against Tepper - who was arrested Wednesday on charges she had smacked around another nanny - filed a civil suit yesterday seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

"She has nightmares still," said Salinas' attorney, Marc D. Vitale of Philadelphia. "She's still rattled by the whole thing."

The suit, filed in Montgomery County Court, "is a logical result of the criminal incident," he said.

In February, the banking heiress was sentenced to a year's probation and ordered to pay $2,800 in fines, attend anger-management classes, and perform community service for assaulting Salinas with a bag of carrots and other objects.

Tepper was arrested this week after she allegedly pushed around Urszula Kordzior and the woman's 9-year-old daughter as the two tried to leave Tepper's Villanova mansion late Sunday.

Tepper denied the charges, which she said were retaliation by an employee who was being fired.

Instead of commanding the platoon of nannies who work at her Eagle Farm estate, the mother of four - ages 2 to 13 - is in the Montgomery County jail awaiting a bail hearing on a probation-violation charge, which carries up to a year in prison. The assault charges, all misdemeanors, also could involve jail time.

Vitale said Tepper's second arrest - in an alleged attack on another foreign-born employee, this one from Eastern Europe - brought back painful memories for Salinas. The Philadelphia resident felt validated by her decision to press civil charges, he said.

"This is an ongoing problem," he said of Tepper.

On the morning of May 21, 2006, Tepper became enraged at Salinas for what Tepper said was a messy refrigerator. According to the statement that Salinas gave Lower Merion police, Tepper began yelling at her for not discarding spoiled food. When Salinas responded that it was fresh, Tepper threw the food on the floor.

"I'm the boss," Salinas said Tepper screamed. When she asked her employer why she treated her so badly, Tepper responded, "I don't like people who don't speak English," according to the complaint.

Tepper then threw a bag of carrots at Salinas' chest, pushed her against the refrigerator, hit her on the head with the phone handset, pulled her hair, scratched her face and broke her glasses in half, the complaint said.

Tepper then dumped the contents of Salinas' purse and pushed the nanny to the floor. She then proceeded to kick and punch Salinas with a closed fist, according to court documents. Tepper also took back an $840 check that was Salinas' pay.

Vitale said Salinas suffered injuries to her neck and jaw, contusions and facial trauma, as well as humiliation and embarrassment.

Salinas, who came to the United States 16 years ago, is married and has two children, ages 10 and 20. Vitale said she had found another job.

"She's picked up the pieces and is moving forward," he said.