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On April 1, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that on March 31, 2025, a car ran into the building of the center where the infants and toddlers are housed. There was black smoke in one of the rooms after the incident and the director, Christina Smith just opened windows and moved the children to a different room. On April 01, 2025, the facility was without electric or hot water in the portion of the building that was damaged by the car running into it, and was open and still accepting children. The electric and hot water were out for approximately 2 hours. On April 1, 2025, Compliance Inspector (CI) Christy Hughes conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and found the allegations to be substantiated based on the following information.
5 CSR 25-500.082(1)(A)., which states: "The premises shall be safe and suitable for the care of children."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.082(4)(D)., which states: " Diapering supplies and warm, running water shall be adjacent to the diapering area."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.082(1)(C)., which states: "Children shall have no access to areas not approved for child care."
On April 1, 2025, CI Hughes conducted in person interviews with LLC Member Ky Ngo, director Christina Smith and caregivers Katelynn Neal, Serenity Thompson and Kelli Wedge.
Ky stated that on March 31, 2025, a delivery truck struck the electrical box on the outside of one of the licensed building housing the infant and toddlers, causing the pole to detach and pull the box away from the building knocking out the electricity to both buildings. He contacted the city, police, fire and an electrician. The parents were notified to come get their children. The following day on April 01, 2025. due to pressure from the families, he made the decision to open the building that was hit without power or hot water. The city assured him it would be restored by 8:00 AM.
Christina stated that on March 31, 2025, when the truck hit the building, it knocked out the power to both buildings. She moved the children in the classroom closest to where it hit, into another classroom until all children were picked up by their parents. All children were picked up by 1:44 PM. Christina stated that the children were allowed to come back to the center the next morning on April 01, 2025 without electricity and the city told them it would be fixed by 8:00 AM. The other building that houses the older children had electricity restored before the children returned. The children from the building without electricity were at the other building until 8:00 AM including infant and toddler children and then returned to their class at 8:00 AM. The building did not have warm water but was well lite due to the light coming through the windows. The building did not get their electricity back until after 10:30 AM.
Katelynn stated when she arrived at 8:00 AM on April 01, 2025, her classroom children were in their classrooms without electricity. The classroom had water but not warm or hot water. The room was lite by the windows. The power was restored at 11:15 AM.
Serenity stated that she was in the building that houses the older children in the school age classroom that had electricity and warm water on April 1, 2025. Also in her class was one infant/toddler until 8:00 AM. The child was in an area not approved for infant/toddler care.
Caregiver Kelli Wedge stated that On March 31, 2025, the lights began to flicker, and she heard a scraping noise. There was some black smoke in her infant and toddler classroom. Director Christina Smith opened the windows and moved the children into another classroom until the parents arrived to pick up them up.
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