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On August 20, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that on August 20, 2024, Child A (age 3-years-old), was left unattended for approximately 2.5 hours on the childcare facility van after he was supposed to be transported by the child care facility and dropped off at Grannemann Elementary School at 8:50 AM. Child A was never dropped off at the elementary school and was found at approximately 10:51 AM on the back of the daycare van sleeping after Parent A called the facility to ask why Child A had been marked absent at the elementary school. 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 25-500.212(3)(M)., which states: "When children leave the vehicle, the vehicle shall be inspected to ensure that no children are left on or under seats."
On August 21, 2024, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jade Stewart-Martin conducted an interview with Parent A (parent of Child A). Parent A stated that Child A is 3-years-old and attends Grannemann Elementary for preschool. Child A arrives at the daycare center around 7:30 A.M. and is transported to school by the facility. Approximately 8:50 A.M. is when the preschool starts. On August 20, 2024, Parent A checked the parent portal, and this showed that Child A was marked absent from school. Parent A called the facility and talked to Jeremy Brown. Jeremy told Parent A that he was not at the daycare facility. Parent A stated that she called back to center around 10:51 A.M. This is when Jeremy told her that Child A was never dropped off at the elementary school and was found asleep on the van. Jeremy told Parent A that the van driver had taken the van back to his house because it was overheating. Parent A was told that Child A was on the van at the van driver's house. Jeremy told her that the van driver was bringing Child A back to the center. Parent A sent Parent AA to pick up Child A at the center. Director Avonda Bryant called Parent A stating that Lloyd Brown (van driver/father of Jeremy Brown) never left Child A in the van unattended. When Parent A asked Child A what happened, he didn't recall anything except for him sleeping on the van.
On August 22, 2024, CI Stewart-Martin conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed director Avonda Bryant, Jeremy Brown, and driver Lloyd Brown. Child A (age 3-years-old) was supposed to be dropped off at Grannemann Elementary for preschool. Avonda stated that August 19, 2024, was Child A's first day attending Grannemann Elementary and that since it was the first week of school, she hadn't printed out the physical copy of the school transport list for the van driver, Lloyd Brown. Avonda did text the school transport list to Lloyd and it did have Child A going to Grannemann Elementary on August 20, 2024. According to Jeremy Brown, Parent A (parent of Child A) contacted the center at approximately 10:00 A.M. stating that Child A was marked absent from school. Jeremy went and checked the classroom and Child A was not present and he reiterated that to Parent A. Parent A told Jeremy that she would call him back after talking with the school. Parent A called Jeremy back stating that the school did not find Child A. Jeremy called Lloyd who found Child A asleep in the third row of the van. Jeremy reported that Lloyd stated that Child A was never left unattended due to the fact that Lloyd was sitting in the van reading his bible at his home awaiting a mechanic. Jeremy instructed Lloyd to bring Child A back to the center, which he did. Lloyd stated that the typical van procedure is that there is a list for transport. When the children enter the van there is a count and name-to-face done. There is an additional count done when the children are in the van. On August 20, 2024, Lloyd did not count Child A, he marked him absent since he did not see him while loading the van or while inside the van. After dropping off the children at school Lloyd returned to his home and sat in the van and read his bible. Lloyd stated that he never left the van unattended, but he was unaware that Child A was in the third row asleep. Child A was not harmed or upset when he woke him up. Lloyd stated that he did not follow procedure and conduct a final walkthrough of the van on August 20, 2024.
CI Stewart-Martin observed the transportation log which shows what child is dropped off at what school which included Child A's name under Grannemann Elementary School but the form was not filled out.
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