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On April 24, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation of Child A (age 4-years-old), was locked in a bedroom for an undisclosed amount of time by staff Tana Murphy. On April 25, 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 25-400.175 (1)(A)1. which states: "Child care providers shall not leave any child without competent adult supervision."
AND
5 CSR 25-400.175 (1)(A)3. which states: "Caregivers shall provide frequent, direct contact so children are not routinely left unobserved on the premises."
AND
5 CSR 25-400.175 (1)(C)8. which states: "No discipline technique which is humiliating, threatening, or frightening to children shall be used. Children shall not be shamed, ridiculed, or spoken to harshly, abusively, or with profanity."
AND
5 CSR 25-400.175 (1)(C)10. which states: "Children shall not be placed in a closet, a locked or unlit room, or any other place which is frightening."
AND
5 CSR 25-400.210 (2). which states: "An individual file shall be kept to identify each child and to enable the provider to communicate with the parent(s), guardian, or legal custodian of the child in an emergency. Records shall include:"
On April 25, 2025, (CI) Hughes conducted in person interviews with family home provider, Arnetta Gauch, assistant Tana Darnell (Murphy), and Grandparent A (grandparent of Child A). Arnetta stated that the kitchen and living room are the 2 rooms licensed for childcare space and all the bedrooms had hook and latch locks on them to keep the children out of the rooms. Child A was never locked in a room and was only at her home for about 30 minutes 3 times a week. Child A was never enrolled in the center and did not have enrollment paperwork. Child A only attended when Grandparent A had to work late and asked her to pick Child A up from school. Child A is very dramatic and did not want to come to the facility because she did not want to take a nap.
Tana stated that she would pick up Child A from the Early Childhood Center when Grandparent A worked later than 11:00 a.m. She would pick her up sometimes up to 3 days a week and then Child A was only there for about 30 minutes. Child A would cry when she picked her up. She preferred Grandparent A to pick her up because she was never told no and did not want to take a nap at the facility. She did not lock Child A in the bedroom.
Grandparent A stated that she asked Tana to pick Child A up from school when she worked past 11:00 a.m.. Child A was never told no at home and did not want to go to the facility and that she has a large imagination. She has no concerns with Child A's care while at the facility and did not believe that Child A was ever locked in the bedroom.
On April 25, 2025, (CI) Hughes observed hook and eye latches on the outside of the first bedroom door on the left. CI Hughes contacted the facility's Compliance Inspector (CI) Bethany Duckworth to get verification of what rooms within the home were licensed childcare space. CI Duckworth confirmed that the living room and first bedroom on the left were licensed for childcare space.
On May 2, 2025, (CI) Hughes conducted in person interviews with Parent A (parent of Child A), Parent B (parent of Child A) and Child A. Parent A stated that she was not aware of how often Child A was attending the facility and Child A attended the Early Education Center in the mornings. Grandparent A was supposed to pick her up from school and Child A told her that she did not want Tana to pick her up from school because Tana locked her in the bedroom. Child A had a large change in her behaviors recently and was very anxious about Tana picking her up from school. She started complaining about going to the facility and acting sick and she is not a child to make things up. Parent A believes Child A was locked in the bedroom. Child A is no longer attending the center. She did not need paperwork on Child A at the facility because she was family.
Parent B stated that Child A's behaviors changed drastically, and he did not know how often Child A was at the facility.
Child A stated that Tana locked her in the room, and it was wrong. Child A yelled to get out and Tana told her no. She was sad. It was a long time and it happened so many times. She did not see other kids being locked in the room.
On May 9, 2025, (CI) Hughes conducted an in person interview with Child D. Child D stated that he was good and when he was in trouble, he goes into the room, and it was closed.
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