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On March 28. 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that on March 28, 2024, Child A (3-months-old) was observed sleeping in a bouncer seat that was placed in a crib at Kidco MO Ltd. The child was then later observed awake and was still in the bouncer seat in the crib. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Patrick O'Malley has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.092(1)(B)2.G., which states the following: "Cribs, portable cribs, and playpens shall be free of soft objects, loose bedding, or any object that can increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation. Examples include bumper pads, pillows, quilts, comforters, sleep positioning devices, sheepskins, blankets, flat sheets, cloth diapers, bibs, pillow-like toys, wedges, infant positioners, special mattresses, special sleep surfaces, and other similar items."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.092(1)(B)2.I., which states the following: "Sitting devices such as car safety seats, strollers, swings, infant carriers, infant slings, and other sitting devices shall not be used for sleep/nap time. Infants who fall asleep anywhere other than a crib, portable crib, or playpen shall be placed in the crib or playpen for the remainder of their sleep or nap time."
On March 28, 2024, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and conducted interviews with director Chelsea Justus and teacher Cheryl Smith. Ms. Justus stated that she was informed that there was an infant sleeping in a bouncy seat by the Lincoln County health inspector Taylor Settle on the morning of March 28, 2024. Ms. Justus went to the younger infant room and observed Child A sleeping in a bouncy seat, which was set inside a crib. Ms. Justus removed the bouncy seat from the crib and removed Child A from the seat. Ms. Justus placed Child A in the crib; Child A continued to sleep.
Ms. Smith stated that she moved Child A's bouncy seat into the crib because the infant room was busy at drop off. Child A fell asleep after the bouncy seat was placed in the crib. The bouncy seat and Child A were in the crib for a minute or less.
On March 28, 2024, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and did not observe any children sleeping in bouncy seats and no bouncy seats were in the cribs.
On March 28 and 29, 2024, CI O'Malley attempted to contact Parent A (parent of Child A), CI O'Malley left voicemails on both occasions but the call was not returned.
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