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On June 13, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging that on May 25, 2023, the center sent an e-mail to the parents that starting on May 30 and for nine days after, the center would not be able to provide breakfast or lunch to the children. They requested that the parents send packed meals. On June 8, 2023, the center sent an e-mail to the parents that said they were extending the period of no meals through June 16 and asked the parents to continue to bring in breakfast and lunch for the kids. On June 16, 2023, the center sent an e-mail to the parents asking for parents to bring in breakfast through June 20. On August 28, 2023, the center sent out an e-mail to the parents thanking them for bringing lunch for their children on that date and the day before, apologizing for the last-minute notice. On September 26, 2023, the center sent out an e-mail to the parents notifying them that the parents would have to bring lunch for their child from September 29 to October 6. On May 28, 2024, the center sent out an e-mail to parents that they would need to provide breakfast and lunch for the entire week of May 28 and had limited refrigeration so "please plan accordingly." After conducting the investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Cole Eddins finds the allegation is substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of licensing rule violations which occurred at the facility:
5 CSR 25-500.202(1)(A which states: "The provider shall supply and serve nourishing food according to the Meal and Snack Food Chart provided in this rule."
On June 20, 2024, CI Eddins interviewed the reporter, who confirmed the allegations and timeline. She did not know why the facility has had trouble providing lunches for their children.
On June 20, 2024, CI Eddins conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed Caregiver Yughonda Dotson, Cook Valerie Piggie, Director Sharon Hansen, and Managing Member Meighan Peifer. Yughonda Dotson stated that they remembered an unknown cook walking out with no notice at the beginning of June 2024. Sharon Hansen and Meighan Peifer provided consistent information. They both stated that their old facility cook, Fatim Mahomed, did not return from her leave back in May of 2023. An email was sent out to parents on May 30, 2024, asking parents to bring food for breakfast and lunch. They requested that parents send packed meals for the next nine or so days. They were needed in other areas of the facility to help meet ratios, so they were unable to help in the kitchen. An email was sent out to parents at the beginning of June 2024 that extended the no mealtime frame through the end of June 2024 until a new cook was found. On September 22, 2023, Cook Sebrena Mcdonnold walked out, and she never returned. An email was sent out to parents the following week stating that parents needed to bring lunches for their children from September 29, 2023, through October 6, 2023. Cook Alissa Dominguez had walked out as well on May 28, 2024, for an unknown reason. An email was sent out to parents again asking if they would provide their children with a packed breakfast and lunch from May 28, 2024, through May 31, 2024.
On June 20, 2024, CI Eddins conducted a walkthrough of the facility and observed an email snapshot of a parent notification from management on August 27, 2023, at 8:59 p.m. that asked parents so bring lunch for their children for August 28, 2023, and August 29, 2023.
On July 31, 2024, CI Eddins interviewed Parent A, who stated she remembers receiving several email from the facility requesting parents to provide their children with breakfasts and lunches in both 2023 and 2024. She has had to pack Child A's lunches and breakfasts on multiple occasions.
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