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On July 30, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation of there is a man living at this address (Russell Darnell). There are also several people living in this at home daycare that shouldn't be around children. On July 31, 2025, Compliance Inspector (CI) conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and found the allegations to be substantiated based on the following information.
5 CSR 25-400.105 (1)(N) which states: "Child care staff members shall have qualifying background screening results on file as required by 5 CSR 25-600.020 General Requirements."
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5 CSR 25-600.020 (1) which states: " Prior to the employment or presence of a child care staff member in a licensed, regulated, or registered child care facility not exempted by section 210.1080.13, RSMo, the child care provider shall request the results of a criminal background check for such child care staff member from the department."
On July 31, CI Hughes conducted in person interviews with family home provider Arnetta Gauch and assistant Tara Darnell.
Arnetta stated that the gentleman in the backyard was Russell Darnell. She stated that he does not reside in the household. He was just visiting waiting for her son-in-law Ryan Darnell. She stated that he had just acquired his own residence and was moving in. They currently had only one working vehicle for the household. Tana also stated that Russell Darnell does not live in the home and was just visiting.
On July 31, 2025, CI Hughes arrived at the center and observed Russell Darnell by the pool in the backyard of the facility. This is the same man that was identified 2 other times on April 25. 2025, and May 9, 2025, within the home in a bedroom by both Arnetta Gauch and Tana Russell to be Russell Darnell. There is no evidence at the facility to show that Russell Darnell has a background check.
On Friday, August 8, 2025, at approximately 1:00 p.m., Compliance Inspector (CI) Bethany Duckworth completed an inspection at a facility near Laugh & Learn Daycare and stated that as she was leaving the inspection at approximately 2:30 p.m., she observed Russell Darnell in the back yard of the Laugh & Learn Daycare. This was the same man that was identified as Russell Darnell previously by Arnetta Gauch and Tana Darnell during a previous inspection.
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