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On September 2, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging "Jara Brown left a 2-year-old in a bathroom for 30 minutes about two months ago." After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Caylin Mertz has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence and rule violation:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)1. which states "Caregivers shall not leave any child without competent supervision."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)3 which states "Caregivers shall provide frequent, direct contact so children are not left unobserved on the premises."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)4 which states "Children under three (3) shall be supervised and assisted while in the bathroom."
On September 4, 2025, CI Caylin Mertz conducted an unannounced inspection and walkthrough. Over the course of this investigation, CI Mertz interviewed Director Erin Law, Caregiver Jerra Brown, Caregiver Hailey Lovell and Parent B (Child E's Mother). Parent B indicated on the date in question, she arrived to pick up her daughter and went to the classroom called the cabin, where all teachers end the day. Child E was not in that room. She located Hailey, who agreed to help her locate Child E. Hailey indicated she located Child E in the bathroom of the 2-year-old classroom. She had her pull up down and the lights were off. She appeared to be okay otherwise. Jerra stated she was in charge of Child E at the time of the incident and did not realize Child E was missing. She had lost track of the number of children she was supposed to have as other parents had come in and picked up children. Erin was not the director at the time of the incident and was unaware that no action had been taken to address this with Jerra. Jerra believes Child E was unsupervised for about 10 minutes.
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