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On October 18, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that Child A (4-years-old) got out of the Peanuts Gang Learning Center, Incorporated through the kitchen this week, possibly Tuesday, October 15, 2024, around mid-morning. Child A was new to the facility and had possibly just started attending. Child A allegedly walked to a nearby gas station where the employees called and reported it to the local police station who came and took Child A back to the facility. The facility did not know that Child A was missing. It is unknown if the facility had reported this incident to anyone, including Child A's parents. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Patrick O'Malley has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)1., which states the following: "Caregivers shall not leave any child without competent supervision."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)3., which states the following: "Caregivers shall provide frequent, direct contact so children are not left unobserved on the premises."
On October 21, 2024, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility. CI O'Malley observed the facility's rear alley and parking lot: to reach American Home Patient's front door from the facility's rear alley, Child A would need to have walked at least fifty feet through a parking lot. CI O'Malley contacted the St. Peters Police Department's records division and communications division; both divisions had no records of dispatch to the facility or its neighboring businesses. CI O'Malley conducted interviews with board chairperson Michael Backers, teacher Abby Hobson, staff member Jetta Ives, and Parent A (parent of Child A and staff member).
Ms. Hobson stated that she and former staff member Katlyn Lumpkins were the primary teachers in the preschool classroom on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. The class went down for naps between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. Child A asked to use the restroom, Ms. Lumpkins escorted Child A. Ms. Hobson was dealing with two fighting children and did not know how long Ms. Lumpkins was out of the classroom. When Ms. Lumpkins returned, she reported that Child A had gotten out of the facility and the police were called. Ms. Lumpkins reported that Mr. Backers had said that Child A got out through the kitchen. October 16, 2024 was Child A's first day at the facility.
Ms. Ives stated that an employee of the medical supply store next door rang the doorbell at approximately 12:55 p.m. The employee said that a child had walked into their store and asked Ms. Ives to come next door to identify the child. Ms. Ives identified the child as Child A and that he was enrolled at the facility and offered to bring him back to the facility. The employee refused, saying that the police had already been contacted and she wanted them to decide when Child A should be returned. Ms. Ives returned to the facility and Child A was returned by a police officer at approximately 1:15 p.m. Ms. Ives was washing dishes in the kitchen during naptime and Child A could not have gotten by her without being seen.
Mr. Backers stated that Child A was taken to the restroom during naptime by Ms. Lumpkins on October 16, 2024. Mr. Backers had provided a pizza lunch to the staff, which was located at the front desk. Ms. Lumpkins left the restroom door to get a slice of pizza. The restroom has a second door which led into an empty classroom. Child A exited the restroom through the second door and then exited the building through a backdoor in the empty classroom. None of the doors were locked due to fire code. Child A attempted to leave the building four more times before the end of the day. Mr. Backers installed alarms on all the outside doors and asked the landlord for permission to install a camera in the rear of the building. Ms. Lumpkins was terminated the same day.
Parent A stated that she was informed of Child A escaping the facility at about 1:10 p.m., via phone. October 16, 2024 was Child A's first day at the facility; he was dropped off at 7:00 a.m. Child A did not have any behavioral diagnoses and did not have a history of running away.
On October 21, 2024, CI O'Malley conducted an interview with witness Jodi Meyer, who stated that on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, a male child opened the front door of American Home Patient, which was the neighboring address of the facility. The child did not enter the store but smiled and let the door close. Ms. Meyer watched the child through the store's front window for a few minutes; he appeared to be by himself. The child stepped into the parking lot and began walking toward the road, when she opened the door and asked the child to hold her hand. The child took her hand, and she walked him into American Home Patient. Ms. Meyer asked the child his name, age, and several other questions but he did not answer. The child did not appear injured or upset. Ms. Meyer sent her receptionist to the facility to ask if they were missing any children. The receptionist returned with a female employee of the facility who identified the child as one of their students. Ms. Meyer told the employee that the police would need to handle the situation from then on. Ms. Meyer contacted the St. Peters Police Department at 12:52 p.m. and reported the unattended child; three cars and six officers responded. The child was in her care for about an hour before being returned to the facility. Ms. Meyer did not know if the police completed a report.
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