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On February 20, 2024 the Office of Childhood received a report alleging "Child A (5 years old) has behavioral issues with hitting other children and staff. On February 19, 2024, Child A was in the hall with a staff person as the staff person was attempting to calm him down. Child A was able to open a door and staff tried to go after him. Child A ran into his sister's classroom and hit his sister (10 months old) before staff was able to stop him." After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Caylin Mertz has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence and rule violations:
5 CSR 25-500.082(2)(B)2.B.(III) which states "If a unit for infants and toddlers is auxiliary to a facility for older children, centers initially licensed for infant/toddler care after the effective date of these rules or facilities adding new infant/toddler space, shall have play, sleeping and bathroom space in the infant and toddler unit. This space shall be separated from the space used for older children by floor-to-ceiling walls;"
On February 21, 2024 Compliance Inspector (CI) Caylin Mertz conducted an unannounced inspection at the facility. A walkthrough was also conducted. CI Mertz interviewed Director Alicia Stivers, Caregiver Kira Newhouse, Caregiver Avery Gage, Caregiver Sherry Brinkoetter, and Child A (5 years old). Sherry indicated she was in the hallway with Child A attempting to deescalate him when he opened the bottom half of the infant room door, ran in and slapped at Avery. She brought Child A back into the hallway and he ran back in the infant room and slapped Child B across the face. She stated Child B cried and had a red handprint. Kira and Avery both observed Child A enter the infant room twice on the morning of February 19, 2024. The first time he swatted at Avery and the second time, he slapped Child A across the face. Alicia said that Sherry was in the hallway with Child A when Child A ran in the door and smacked Child B across the face. CI Mertz observed video footage which clearly shows Child A enter the infant room twice around 10:27 a.m. and 10: 28 a.m. Child A was interviewed and stated he went in the baby room and slapped his sister.
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