Queens couple sues upstate residential center for abusing autistic son

The parents of a Queens special needs man filed a federal lawsuit against the Anderson Center for Autism responsible for their son’s care. Photo via Google Maps

By Noah Powelson

A Queens couple is suing a child care center for allowing the abuse of their son to go on for years.

Queens residents Anil Babbar and Shalini Babbar filed a federal civil lawsuit on Wednesday against Anderson Center for Autism, a residential home for special needs individuals in Dutchess County. Attorneys for the Babbars with Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP accused the residential home of doing nothing to stop the reported abuse their son faced while living in the center, despite receiving multiple reports from staff and witnesses.

The Babbars’ son, a 21-year-old who is identified as A.B. in court documents, has limited speech abilities and requires assistance with bathing, dressing and eating. A.B. first moved to the Anderson Center for Autism operated Chestnut House in May of 2021, and attorneys say he was regularly starved and sexually assaulted by staff during his time there.

The new 25-page complaint claims that not only was A.B. abused by his caretakers, but supervisors at Chestnut House had been notified of the abuse multiple times and did nothing about it. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that A.B. and other residents had been assaulted by staff at the residential center multiple times, but supervisors covered up these incidents and discouraged employees from reporting them.

“We're filing this lawsuit to seek accountability,” Sara Estala, an attorney representing the Babbars, told the Eagle during a phone interview. “Anderson has been on notice that residents in their care have been abused, and they've played a role in covering it up."

According to the lawsuit, A.B.’s parents were informed of the abuse their son was going through by a whistleblower who worked at the Chestnut House.

The person sent the Babbars a video of an incident that took place on June 5, 2025. The video showed A.B. repeatedly screaming “no” as an Anderson staff member orderedhim to go to his room. The staff member, later identified as Garnet Collins, then grabbed A.B. by his genitals and forcefully moved A.B. down the hall into another room.

The 28-second video was released to reporters and eventually made public.

The Hyde Park Police Department investigated the incident and eventually charged Collins with endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and a misdemeanor of forcible touching of the sexual/intimate parts of another person.

Collins pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2025, and was sentenced to one to three years in prison.

“Our son went to Anderson Center for Autism because we believed it was a place of safety, expertise, and care. Instead, we learned through a whistleblower’s video that he was subjected to sustained physical and sexual abuse in the very home that was supposed to protect him,” Anil Babbar said. “His dignity was taken from him, his trust in caregivers shattered, and our family’s life was divided into ‘before the video’ and ‘after the video.’ We must hold abusers like Anderson and other institutions responsible for their participation in the criminal ecosystem servicing the special needs community.”

But A.B.’s parents say the fault doesn’t lie just with Collins, but with Anderson Center for Autism for refusing to notify or act on information of the abuse. The lawsuit names a resident manager at Anderson Center for Autism, Nadine Thompson, as responsible for maintaining a “culture of silence."

According to the lawsuit, the incident on June 5 was not the only time A.B. was abused by staff.

Attorneys say the whistleblower observed Collins hitting other residents and forcing them to take cold showers. Attorneys also said the whistleblower filmed another video of Collins striking another Chestnut House resident on the head with an iPad.

A Queens couple filed a federal lawsuit accusing the operators of a home for special needs adults of abusing their son.  Eagle file photo by Max Parrott

The whistleblower allegedly reported at least one of these incidents of Collins harming A.B. to Thompson in May 2024, but nothing came of it.

When Thompson was informed of the incident, according to court documents, she allegedly told the whistleblower “what happens in Chestnut, ends in Chestnut.”

The whistleblower was eventually fired from Anderson Center for Autism. He has since filed his own separate lawsuit against the organization.

A.B.’s mother, Shalini Babbar, said she also learned other staff beyond Collins had assaulted her son since the whistleblower came forward.

“As a mother, I will never forget the physical and sexual abuse my vulnerable, special-needs son endured at the hands of those entrusted to protect him,” she said. “The acts were violent, deliberate, and deeply humiliating — a complete violation of his dignity. While the abuser is now behind bars, our fight is far from over. We will not rest until the Anderson Center for Autism is held fully accountable. We are fighting for justice for our son, and for every child who deserves safety, dignity, and true protection,”

Attorneys for the Babbars said the abuse A.B. faced has not only traumatized their son but inflicted severe burden on the family. A.B.’s mental state has severely regressed since he left the Chestnut House, his parents say, and they have had to pay out-of-pocket to doctors and therapists.

A spokesperson for the Anderson Center said in a statement that the “incident depicted in the video stands in direct opposition to our mission and values, and we have zero tolerance for any behavior that compromises the safety or dignity of the people we serve.”

“We fully cooperated with the investigation and ultimate conviction of the former staff member depicted in the video,” the spokesperson added. “While there have also been repeated references to a so-called whistleblower, the truth is that former trainee never reported this incident to Anderson – as he was required to do –and as result of his dereliction of duty, Anderson was never made aware of this heinous act. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of care and accountability.”

Estela said that in the year and a half since the reported abuse, A.B. has been hospitalized repeatedly throughout 2024 and 2025, and doctors diagnosed him with posttraumatic stress disorder.

"It has had a profound impact on him personally," Estela said. "Frankly, he'll probably be struggling with some of these issues for the rest of his life."

Update: This story was updated with a statement from the Anderson Center on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.