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On July 9, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging "Caregiver Amanda was heard on the phone saying, 'We told her we are not allowed to lock children in the closet because these children are old enough to go home and tell their parents.' After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Caylin Mertz has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence and rule violations:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)3 which states "Only constructive, age-appropriate methods of discipline shall be used to help children develop self-control and assume responsibility for their own actions."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.182(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 25-500.182(1)(C)9 which states "Punishment or threat of punishment shall not be associated with food, rest, or toilet training.
AND
5 CSR 25-500.182(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."
On July 10, 2025 and August 21, 2025, CI Caylin Mertz conducted unannounced inspections and walkthroughs at the facility. Over the course of this investigation, CI Mertz interviewed Director Amanda Murphy, Caregiver MacKenna Poynter, Caregiver Emily Probst, Caregiver Ana Bolen, Child A (5 years old), Child B (4 years old), Child C (4 years old), Caregiver Audrey Ramos, Parent A (Child A's Mother) and Parent B (Child B's Mother).
Amanda reported on July 3, 2025 she was told by Emily Probst that Audrey Ramos had put two children in the closet. Emily did not state which children were placed in the closet, and Amanda did not ask. Amanda sent Audrey a message basically saying that she was not aware that Audrey put kids in the closet; one of them could've gotten hurt; and they are old enough to tell their parents. Audrey responded and said she understood.
Audrey indicated Child A and Child B were acting out. She told them a story about how monsters gobble up little children who don't go to sleep. She told the children the monsters were in the closet. She then took Child A and Child B to the closet and the children went in.
MacKenna was in the room with Audrey during this incident. She saw Audrey walking with Child B saying something about a dark closet. Audrey told her she put Child A and Child B in the closet. She thinks Child A was gone with Audrey for about three minutes.
Ava was also in the room during this incident. She recalled Audrey being stressed out because the kids weren't listening. She heard Audrey telling children a story about how kids who don't go to bed won't feel good and then she talked about a closet. Then Audrey told a child they would go check the closet for a monster and took Child B to the closet.
Emily was told by Audrey that she put two children in the closet because they weren't listening. Audrey told her she closed the closet door but not all the way and it was only for a minute.
Parent A indicated Child A told her it was scary and dark in the closet. He told her he had to go in there because he wouldn't take a nap. Child A stated Ms. Audrey put him in a closet with no light and the door closed. This happened at nap time.
Parent B indicated Child B told a family member that he was put in a closet because he was running. Child B said a teacher did put him a closet. The light was off, and the door was not shut all the way.
Child C said she saw Ms. Audrey put two children in the closet. When the children came back from the closet, they were sad and one of them was crying. Ms. Audrey took the children to the closet because they wouldn't lay down.
Placing children in a closet after telling a scary story is not age-appropriate or constructive. Placing children in a closet is expressly prohibited, as is punishing children for things related to rest, such as failing to lay down on a cot as instructed. Based on the information received from caregivers and the children, this incident was frightening to at least one of the children, if not both.
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