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MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

OFFICE OF CHILDHOOD - CHILD CARE COMPLIANCE

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION OF SUBSTANTIATED STATUTE OR RULE VIOLATIONS
Facility Information
Date of Report
9/1/2023 12:00:00 AM
DVN
002686946
Facility Name
BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS LEARNING CENTER LLC
Facility Address
8501 N BROADWAY
City
ST LOUIS
Zip Code
63147-2220
Phone
(314) 240-7392
County
ST LOUIS CITY
Assigned Specialist
FYFE, IAN
Rule/Statute Violation(s)
ViolationViolation Description
5 CSR 25-500.212(1)(C) Parents shall be informed when field trips are planned.
5 CSR 25-500.082(2)(A)9. The facility shall be clean at all times and free of dirt, insects, spiders, rodents or other pests.
Conclusion Summary
On September 1, 2023, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that Ms. Dee [Darinna Thompson] transported Child A (2-years-old) and Child B (4-years-old) without Parent A's (parent of Child A and Child B) consent. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Ian Fyfe has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence: 5 CSR 25-500.212(1)(C), which states that: "Parents shall be informed when field trips are planned." On September 6, 2023, Compliance Inspector (CI) Ian Fyfe interviewed Parent A (parent of Child A and Child B). Child A and Child B did not begin attending the facility until August 7, 2023. On August 30, Ms. Dee, the facility director, sent Parent A a text message asking her to pick up Child A and Child B in Normandy. She told Ms. Dee that this was not possible and requested that she return to the facility with the children. Parent A has never given permission to the facility to transport the children away from the facility. On September 7, 2023, CI Fyfe conducted an announced inspection to Beautiful Beginnings Learning Center LLC and interviewed Director Darinna Thompson. Ms. Thompson denied the reported concerns despite texting Parent A multiple times that she had Child A and Child B with her at a location other than the facility and denied that she transported the children away from the facility. While at the facility, CI Fyfe reviewed Child A's and Child B's enrollment forms. Parent A did sign the acknowledgement that provides the facility permission to transport the children. On August 30, even though Ms. Thompson received permission from Parent A to bring Child A and Child B to Parent A's place of work, this consent was obtained after the fact Ms. Thompson had already transported the children away from the facility. This occurred without any notice to Parent A. This was evidenced by the start of the text message conversation between Parent A and Ms. Thompson when Ms. Thompson informed Parent A that she already had Child A and Child B with her at the library.
Corrective Measures
Corrective MeasureCompleted (Y/N)Completed Date
The facility shall notify all staff members of the violations which were substantiated, and specify the actions to be taken by all staff in order to comply with all licensing violations cited. A copy of the memo, letter, or staff meeting agenda(s) shall be submitted to the Office of Childhood. Y 2/22/2024 12:00:00 AM
Disposition
SUBSTANTIATED
Disposition Date
10/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Approving Supervisor
CHRISCO, MARLA L