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On August 18, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that Child A (age 4-years-old), was screaming while in the hallway outside of the baby room at Bright Beginnings Learning Center LLC. The noise caused the babies to wake up. Staff PJ Brown, who works in the baby room, came out into the hallway and spanked Child A and then picked her up, yelled in her face and dropped her where she fell to the floor and landed on her butt. Child A also reported that staff PJ Brown smacked her with an open hand but did not specify where she was smacked. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Patrick O'Malley has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.182(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)7., which states: "Physical punishment including, but not limited to, spanking, slapping, shaking, biting, or pulling hair shall be prohibited."
On August 19, 2025, CI O'Malley observed two light yellow bruises to Child A, one to her outer left thigh and a second to her lower right back. CI O'Malley conducted interviews with Child A (4-years-old) and Parent A (parent of Child A).
Parent A stated that on Friday, August 15, 2025, she picked up Child A from the facility, after 5:00 p.m. During the car ride home, Child A reported that she did not like the facility and did not want to go back. Child A reported that PJ had swatted her but was not specific as to where she was swatted. Later that evening Child A was given a bath and a bruise was discovered on Child A's left thigh. When asked what happened, Child A reported that PJ had yelled in her face and thrown her. The facility reported behavioral problems for Child A every day. Child A had been enrolled at the facility for ten days when the incident occurred. Child A was no longer enrolled at the facility.
Child A stated that she was running out of the room. Child A said bad words and screamed in a girl's face. PJ threw her on the ground. PJ "whooped" her bottom and she did not like PJ. Child A cried.
On August 19, 2025, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and observed footage of the incident, dated August 15, 2025, with a start time of 5:07:32 p.m. The footage is in color and contains audio. The footage shows the preschool classroom at Bright Beginnings Learning Center LLC. At 5:07:50 p.m., PJ uses her right arm to fling Child A out of the restroom and Child A lands on her bottom facing PJ. Child A stands up and attempts to reenter the restroom, PJ stands in the restroom doorway and blocks Child A from reentering the restroom. At 5:08:09 p.m., Child A attempts to squeeze between PJ's legs, PJ grasps Child A by both hips and pushes her away from the doorway. Child A again lands on her bottom. At 5:08:33 p.m., Child A again attempts to squeeze between PJ's legs, PJ picks Child A up by the hips and sets her down on her bottom next to the restroom door. Child A lays down on her back and kicks her feet at PJ's legs. At 5:09:04 p.m., PJ grasps both of Child A's legs and tosses Child A's legs away from the restroom doorway. Child A lands on her back, facing away from the restroom doorway, less than a foot from her starting position. The video footage ends at 5:10:13 p.m. CI O'Malley conducted interviews with director Andrea Orwig, staff Heather Sayre, and PJ Brown.
Staff Heather Sayre affirmed that she worked with both PJ and Child A on the afternoon of August 15, 2025. Heather denied witnessing PJ hit or strike Child A. Heather denied witnessing PJ yell in Child A's face. Heather denied witnessing PJ drop or throw Child A to the floor. Heather denied ever observing any bruising to Child A.
Staff PJ Brown stated that she worked with Child A on the afternoon of August 15, 2025. PJ usually worked in the infant classroom by herself. Heather was having trouble controlling the preschool classroom and all the infants were gone for the day, so she decided to assist Heather in the preschool classroom. Child A was running in and out of the restroom, playing with the sinks and flushing the toilets. PJ escorted Child A out of the restroom by picking up Child A from under the shoulders. PJ set Child A down on the floor outside of the restroom. PJ stood in the restroom's doorway to prevent Child A from going back into the restroom. Child A kicked and screamed while sitting on the floor. PJ stated that she never hit any children including Child A. PJ never dropped or threw Child A to the floor. PJ never observed any bruising to Child A.
Director Andrea Orwig stated that Child A was enrolled at the facility on Thursday, August 7, 2025. Child A had behavioral problems every day of her attendance. Andrea was not initially aware of any incidents involving PJ and Child A. After reviewing video footage of the incident, she stated that PJ's actions were inappropriate. Andrea placed PJ on 90 days probation. This was PJ's first disciplinary action.
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