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On April 8, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that: On Friday, April 5, 2024, Child A, 8 months old, was swaddled in a blanket and held by the neck by staff member McKenzie Bohrn as she was trying to get Child A to go to sleep. Child A was struggling and fussed while this was happening. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Michelle Honea has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.132(1), which states: "The provider shall establish, implement, and maintain written policies pertaining to the program goals, admission, safe sleep practices for children less than one (1) year of age, care, and discharge of children, and shall provide a copy to the parent(s) at the time of enrollment."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.102(1)(E)., which states: "Caregivers shall have knowledge of the needs of children and shall be sensitive to the capabilities, interests, and problems of children in care."
On April 10, 2024, CI Honea reviewed the first video where caregiver Mackenzie Bohrn is sitting in a chair with Child A during naptime at 12:18 pm. The video shows Mackenzie continuously picking up her phone and using the phone, while holding Child A. Mackenzie grabbed Child A roughly, pulled Child A against her chest, placed her chin on Child A's head, holding tightly. Child A continued to squirm, and Mackenzie appeared to be aggravated with Child A and patted Child A's back harshly. At one point while Mackenzie was on the phone again, Child A is squirming hard enough that Child A almost fell out of Mackenzie's arm over the side of the chair. Child A became upset and Mackenzie held Child A's neck, while against Mackenzie's chest, and patted Child A. Another child is observed in bottom corner of the video asleep in a swing. Child A calmed down at 12:28pm. Caregiver Shyanne put the child she was rocking down into a bouncy seat with a blanket, and then left the room, which left Mackenzie alone in the room with seven infants/toddlers at 12:29pm. At 12:30pm a second caregiver walked into the infant/toddler room. The second video shows Mackenzie admitting to caregiver Taylor Yancey that she was too rough with Child A.
On April 10, 2024, director Cassie Martin stated that she was disgusted by the video and fired Mackenzie Bohrn. She also had other caregivers written up for not doing anything to help or stop Mackenzie Bohrn.
On May 2, 2024, former caregiver Mackenzie Bohrn stated that she was struggling to get Child A to fall asleep. Child A was fussy and teething. She was frustrated with co-worker Shyanne. She knows that she was rough with Child A but did not mean to be. She knows that she should not have held Child A so tightly or allowed Child A to almost fall out of her arms. She was just stressed that day and frustrated with co-workers.
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