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On June 14, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that staff Tawana Chapman admitted to restraining Child A (age 3-years-old) on June 13, 2024. Child A has a scratch on the left cheek and an abrasion on the eyelid. Tawana Chapman stated she was unaware if the child received the marks from being restrained or if the child had done this to their self. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jade Stewart-Martin has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.192(5)(A) - In case of accident or injury to a child, the provider shall notify the parent(s) immediately. If the child requires emergency medical care, the provider shall follow the parent's(s') written instructions.
On June 17, 2024, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jade Stewart-Martin conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed assistant director Ore' Adams, and teachers: Tawana Chatman, Ronneka Foster, and Patricia Battles. All staff interviewed stated the Child A is autistic and non-verbal, and will at times participate in self-harming behaviors. Ms. Chatman was the teacher in Child A's (aged 3-years-old) classroom for nap time, as she was relieving Ms. Foster for a break. When Ms. Foster left the room at approximately 12:30 P.M., Child A was laying down but was not yet asleep. Ms. Chatman was sitting next to Child A watching her phone. Child A started screaming, crying, and flipping on their cot. Ms. Chatman stated that Child A hit his head on the cot while throwing himself down, and that he was taking his hands and rubbing both sides of his face. She also observed Child A hit his head on the sensory pallets next to where his cot was. Ms. Chatman tried to calm him down, and tried to gently flip him from his back to his stomach so she could pat/ rub his back. Child A calmed down after approximately fifteen minutes. After Child A fell asleep, Ms. Chatman stated that she noticed the scratches and applied a wet towel and filled out an incident report. Ms. Chatman stated that she never restrained Child A, and is unsure of where exactly the scratches came from. She did not call Parent A(parent of Child A) since she didn't have her number, she notified Ms. Foster when she returned to the room at approximately 1:30 P.M. Ms. Foster stated that Ms. Chatman came into the break room somewhere in between 1:00- 1:15 P.M. and stated that Child A had scratched himself on the sensory mats, and that she had filled out an incident report. When Ms. Foster returned to the classroom at approximately 1:30 P.M. Child A was asleep, but she observed three scratches on the left side of Child A's face. She then notified the assistant director, Ms. Adams, who was not at the center because she was on a field trip with students. When Ms. Adams returned, she notified Parent A about the incident. All staff stated that they have no concerns with Ms. Chatman. Ms. Adams stated she contacted Parent A when she returned to the center at approximately 4:20 P.M. Ms. Adams attempted to review the footage from Child A's classroom on June 13, 2024, but since it was naptime and dark she was unable to see anything that transpired with Child A during nap time.
On June 17, 2024, CI Stewart-Martin observed the incident report regarding Child A from June 13, 2024.The incident report states that the incident occurred at 1:30 P.M. and Parent A was not notified until 4:28 P.M. Child A's enrollment form was observed. CI Stewart-Martin attempted to review footage from naptime in Child A's classroom on June 13, 2024, but was unable to see anything clearly due to the lights being out.
On August 12, 2024, CI Stewart-Martin contacted Parent A. Parent A stated that on June 13, 2024, Ore' Adams called her around 4:30 P.M. and stated that she had just returned from a field trip and there had been an incident with Child A and Ms. Chatman during naptime. Ms. Adams stated to Parent A that Child A was watching a tablet, and when Ms. Chatman went to take the tablet away Child A threw a fit and scratched himself. Ms. Chatman was unaware of what exactly caused the scratches. Parent A face-timed and Ms. Adams went to show her Child A and there was dried blood all over the left side of Child A's face. She immediately drove up to the center and the police were already there. Ms. Adams tried to get Parent A to sign an incident report, she refused. Parent A and Ms. Chatman have a history and she had asked for Child A to be removed from her classroom. Ms. Adams told Parent A she had tried to review the camera footage from nap time on June 13, 2024, but was unable to see anything since it was dark. Parent A stated that Child A is autistic, but had never participated in self-harming behaviors. June 13, 2024, was Child A's last day at the facility.
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