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On May 23, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that Child A (age 15-months-old), was found alone crying in the hallway at approximately 10:20 AM and they are approximating that Child A was alone 7 minutes unsupervised during transition from the caterpillar classroom to the playground at 10:00 AM on May 23, 2024. The teachers in charge were Marbel Yost, who led the classroom, Vicki Chitwood was in the middle of the group, and Maria Lucy Caito brought up the rear of the group. Manager Anne Brady found Child A and returned him to the playground at approximately 10:24 AM. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jade Stewart-Martin has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)1., which states: "Caregivers shall not leave any child without competent supervision."
AND
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 May 29, 2024, CI Stewart-Martin conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed executive director Keri Young, director Meredith Davis, business manager Anne Brady, and teachers: Marbel Yost, Vicki Chitwood, and Maria "Lucy" Caito. On May 23, 2024, Child A (aged 15-months-old), was left unattended from approximately 10:13 A.M. to 10:20 A.M. Child A was left in the hallway when his class was transitioning from their classroom to the outside terrace for recess. Anne and Keri heard Child A crying and found him in the hallway alone. Child A's teachers were Marbel Yost, Vicki Chitwood, and Maria "Lucy" Caito. The caterpillar class started to transition from the classroom to the terrace outside for recess at approximately 10:00 A.M to 10:15 A.M. Marbel recalls counting the children at the final transition from inside to the terrace. She recalls counting only seven. She realized she was missing a child. All teachers recounted, and Lucy reassured her that they had all eight children. When they reached their final destination, they were supposed to use the Tadpoles application for name-to-face recognition, and according to staff interviewed, this was not done. Another child got injured, taking attention away from the name-to-face function being completed on Tadpoles. One of the teacher's walkie-talkied to administration that they did have all eight children on the terrace. Meredith stated that procedure is to do a head count by tapping each child on the head during every transition. When staff reached their final destination, they are supposed to use Tadpoles for a name-to-face transition. In addition, they are supposed to use the walkie-talkie to communicate with administration that they have transitioned the appropriate number of children. Meredith stated that they have no cameras in the interior of the facility, but they do have a camera on the terrace where Child A's classroom goes to recess. The video footage showed Child A's teachers exiting onto the terrace at approximately 10:13 A.M. Anne found Child A crying in the hallway at approximately 10:20 A.M. The video footage shows Keri returning Child A to the terrace at approximately 10:24 A.M after consoling him for three to four minutes. This video footage is how management estimated that Child A was left behind for approximately seven minutes. Meredith contacted Parent A at approximately 1:25 P.M, and contacted the Child Abuse and Neglect hotline at approximately 1:45 P.M. She then contacted the Compliance Inspector with the Office of Childhood. Ms. Young spoke to Parent A and Parent AA at pickup at approximately 5:45 P.M. All teachers involved were written up for this incident. Lucy received a written warning. Marbel and Vicki had a prior warning, so they were issued their final written warning. Afterwards at a teachers meeting, Meredith retrained all staff on proper procedures during transitions. Additionally, when the teacher's walkie-talkie the number of children after a transition, administration will echo the number of children, prompting them to recount one final time. At this time, Lucy, Marbel and Vicki are to call administration for support during all transitions.
CI Stewart-Martin observed the video footage from the terrace. The video shows the teachers of Child A's classroom exiting onto the outside terrace at 10:13:24 A.M. At 10:24:25 A.M., Keri brings Child A to the terrace.
On May 29, 2024, CI Stewart-Martin also observed the written statements taken from staff regarding the incident with Child A on May 23, 2024, Child A's enrollment form, and the written warnings to Maria Caito, Marbel Yost, and Vicki Chitwood. CI Stewart-Martin also observed the agenda from the teacher's meeting where administration went over name-to-face procedure and walkie-talkie procedures during transitions.
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