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On July 29, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that mice were seen running through the hallways at Hilltop Child Development Center this past week. There were mice traps on the floors; one trap had a dead mouse in it. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Patrick O'Malley has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.082(2)(A)9., which states that: "The facility shall be clean at all times and free of dirt, insects, spiders, rodents or other pests."
On August 4, 2025, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and observed mouse droppings behind the facility's copier and behind a shelving unit in the toddler classroom. CI O'Malley did not observe any feces or urine in the facility's kitchen or pantry. CI O'Malley observed invoices from Rottler Pest Solutions dated April 18, May 16, June 8, and July 16, 2025.
CI O'Malley conducted an interview with director Julie McAfee, who stated that mice had been observed in the facility's copier room and the toddler classroom in the prior week. A hole had been discovered in the plaster baseboard of the toddler classroom. Julie had already requested that maintenance seal the hole in the toddler classroom. Rottler Pest Solutions provided preventative treatment once a month. The Rottler technician had provided glue traps on July 16, 2025. The St. Louis City sanitation inspector had conducted an inspection on July 30, 2025.
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