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Compliance Inspector (CI) JD Greer conducted an unannounced investigation of the allegation that on October 18, 2023, Child A (4 years old), was on a field trip with her daycare facility. Child A was separated from her group for a period of time. The allegation is substantiated based on the following information:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)1. which states, "Caregivers shall not leave any child without competent adult supervision."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)3. which states, "Caregivers shall provide frequent, direct contact so children are not left unobserved on the premises."
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed Director Alison Gillette, who stated On October 18, 2023, she received a call from Caregiver Aleijah Cox at approximately 3:10 p.m. Caregiver Cox stated she wanted to notify Director Gillette of something that had occurred. A teenager who worked for the pumpkin patch came up to Caregiver Cox and said are you missing a child with Child A's name. Caregiver Cox looked around and did not see Child A. Caregiver Cox stated Child A could not have been gone from the group for more than a minute. Caregiver Cox said it was approximately 12:50 p.m. when the teenage worker had approached the school group about a missing child.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed Caregiver Aleijha Cox, who stated after lunch the group went over the hill to the three little houses and played there from approximately 12:40-12:50 p.m. An employee of the pumpkin patch came up and said are you missing a child. The name the employee stated was similar to Child A's name. Caregiver Cox asked Caregiver Lamb where Child A was. Caregiver Cox realized the missing child was Child A. Caregiver Jen Giles went over to get Child A with the pumpkin patch employee. The employee stated Child A was found near the bouncy pumpkin pillows.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed Jennifer Giles, who stated she recalls they ate lunch around noon. She did not do a face to name count at each place they stopped. She remembers doing a headcount when leaving the lunch area. She saw the back of Child A's head and counted her in the headcount. She did not see Child A's face. She did not see any of the children's faces, but she counted eight children. A gentleman came up to the group and asked if they were a school. The man said they found Child A near the pumpkin pillows. Caregiver Giles walked with the man to where Child A was. It looked like Child A had been crying. She thinks Child A was missing from the group for a maximum of 10 minutes.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed Caregiver Kensey Lamb, who stated she was assigned to watch Child A and Child B during the field trip. A pumpkin patch person came up and said they found Child A. Caregiver Giles went with the man to get Child A. When asked how long Child A was gone, Caregiver Lamb stated, "I have no idea on times." Caregiver Lamb stated there is no way she was gone for 20-30 minutes.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed Parent A (Parent of Child A), who stated the day after Child A's field trip to the pumpkin patch, Child A stated they got lost at the pumpkin patch. The facility staff never informed Parent A that Child A had been separated from her group on the field trip. Parent A also received a message on Facebook from a woman named McKenna who stated she had found Child A at the pumpkin patch and was attempting to reconnect her with her group. Parent A contacted Director Gillette the following morning. Director Gillette said she would look into the matter on Monday morning.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed Child A (4 years old), who stated her teachers are Ms. Kensey (Lamb) and Ms. Aleijha (Cox). At the pumpkin patch she was with Ms. Kensey. She was lost at the pumpkin patch. She was bouncing on the pumpkin pillows with other kids. She looked up and saw she was alone. She was sad and cried.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer interviewed McKenna Gorman, who stated on October 18, 2023, Ms. Gorman was at the pumpkin patch with her daughter. She was sitting next to the big pumpkin pillows. She noticed Child A bouncing on the pillows. There were no other small children and Child A was surrounded by a class of 5th graders. At approximately 12:30 p.m., Ms. Gorman did not see a group that Child A could have belonged to. Ms. Gorman began speaking with another parent who also thought it looked like Child A had lost her group. Another mother took Child A over to the pumpkin patch workers in an attempt to find her group. Child A was unable to say the name of her school. Child A was crying, scared, and nervous. Ms. Gorman did a random search on Facebook and found Child A's mother. Child A confirmed that it was a picture of her mom. Ms. Gorman sent a message to Parent A at approximately 12:44 p.m. saying she had found Child A at the pumpkin patch and was looking for her group.
On October 24, 2023, CI Greer reviewed an incident report for October 18, 2023, and observed a staff member approached and said he had a child with a name similar to Child A's name. I (Caregiver Cox) sent Caregiver Jen to see if it was Child A while, I checked the house area.
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