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On March 6, 2024, Compliance Inspector (CI) Cole Eddins conducted an investigation regarding the allegation that on February 27, 2024, Child A ran up to the director and told her that another child hit him. The director's response was to "hit him back then". Child A proceeded to hit the other child and the director told other staff around her that "you didn't hear me say that". Child A's parent works at the facility and has told Child A to go hit another child and he has done it. After conducting the investigation, CI Eddins finds this allegation is substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of licensing rule violations which occurred at the facility:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)11. which states, "Children shall not be permitted to intimidate or harm others, harm themselves, or destroy property."
On March 6, 2024, CI Eddins interviewed Director Christy Purl, Caregiver Jessica Begley, Parent A, who is also a caregiver, Caregiver Patty Mael, Caregiver Stacie Leve, and Child A (5-years-old). Christy Purl stated that she had told Child A to hit another child back one time while they were both outside on the playground. Parent A stated that she had observed an unknown child hit Child A outside on the playground and that she had told Child A to hit the other child back. She was trying to teach Child A to stand up for himself. She only told Child A to hit another child back once or twice.
Jessica Begley stated that she had observed Christy Purl tell Child A to hit Child D back. She observed Child D hit Child A outside on the playground. She observed Christy Purl and Parent A both tell Child A to hit Child D back on two separate occasions over the past month. She observed Child A hit Child D after he was told to do so by Christy Purl and Parent A. She did not observe Child A hit Child B. Patty Mael stated that she had observed Child B hit Child A outside on the playground. She observed Christy Purl and Parent A both tell Child A to hit Child B back once or twice before. Stacie Leve stated she has observed other children try and hit Child A outside on the playground. She thinks she may have observed Child B try to hit Child A, but she does not remember. She has observed Christy Purl and Parent A both tell Child A to hit other children back several different times since she started working there in August 2024. Child A stated that when other children are mean to him, he will hit them back. Child A stated that Parent A and Miss Christy have told him to hit other children back when other children are mean to him.
On March 5, 2024, Compliance Inspector (CI) Cole Eddins conducted a walkthrough of the facility and observed the facility's disciplinary policy which states that the caregivers will use redirection, short timeouts, and parent notification if necessary.
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