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On October 9, 2025, The Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation of on October 07, 2025, Child A (age 6-years-old) was transported from Stix Early Childhood by staff at Kydz Ark, Ms. Alayna, and brought back to Kydz Ark. Parent A came to pick up Child A and was told she was already picked up. Child A was found in the van and had been in the van alone for approximately one hour. On October 10, 2025, Compliance Inspector (C) Christy Hughes attempted to conduct an unannounced inspection of the facility. The facility was closed. On October 14, 2025, CI Hughes conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and found the allegations to be substantiated based on the following information.
5 CSR 25-500.212(1)(A) which states: "The provider shall be responsible for the care, safety and supervision of children on field trips or at any time they transport children away from the facility."
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5 CSR 25-500.212(3)(L) which states: "Head counts shall be taken before leaving the facility, after entering the vehicle, during a field trip, after taking the children to bathrooms, after returning to the vehicle and when back at the facility."
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5 CSR 25-500.212(3)(M) which states: "When children leave the vehicle, the vehicle shall be inspected to ensure that no children are left on or under seats."
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5 CSR 25-500.212(3)(G) which states: "Children shall not be left unattended in a vehicle at any time."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)1. which states: "Caregivers shall not leave any child without competent supervision."
On October 14, 2025, CI Hughes conducted in person interviews with LLC member Chastity Chillers, director Alayna Watson, assistant director Mareay Chillers, caregivers Johnita Womack and Ameeshia Britton.
Chastity stated that she was not present on October 07, 2025 when Child A was left on the van unattended but she was going to make sure this was addressed and all staff members involved knew the severity of the situation. She would make sure all new policies were put into place and adhered to, to assure that no child was left unattended on the van again. The facility does not have cameras.
Johnita stated that on October 07, 2025, Child A (age 6-years-old) was only left alone in the van for approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Alayna was calming her own child down. Child A was asleep in the backseat and not visible. She was in the back of the building at the time and doesn't know how many children were in the van. The van returned at approximately 5:15 p.m. and Parent A (parent of Child A), arrived at approximately 5:20 p.m. to pick up Child A. Parent A was in the parking lot.
Ameeshia stated that the van returned approximately 10 minutes before Parent A arrived. Johnita asked her if Child A was there, and she told Johnita she didn't know because she does not feed her snack. They were trying to figure out if Parent B (parent of Child A), had already come to get her.
Alayna stated that she has always been the one to pick up the children from the schools. She picks up Child A at approximately 4:25 p.m. On October 07, 2025, she got back to the center a little after 5:00 p.m. Her child was having an episode in the van and the other teachers cannot control him, so he goes with her on the van runs with her. She brought him in to the building to settle him down through the front door. When he gets like that, her focus is solely on him and she losses track of other things. She does not know the timeframe that Child A was out in the van unattended. Ameeshia and Johnita asked her if she had picked Child A up from school, so she went out the side door and Parent A was in the parking lot. When she got to the van, the sliding door was cracked, and Child A was crying alone in the van. She had to calm her down. She does not take attendance as the children are entering and exiting the van.
On October 15, 2025, CI Hughes conducted an interview via phone with Parent A (parent of Child A). Parent A stated that he arrived at the center at approximately 5:55 p.m. He was running a little behind so it was 10 minutes later than he would normally pick up. Alayna was out in the parking lot speaking with another family. He rang the buzzer, and a staff member that he does not know answered the door. He asked for Child A and the staff member looked confused. She turned to the other staff member asking if Child A was there and they told him she must have already gone home. He knew that was not correct, so he asked more questions. At that time, they asked Alayna if Child A had picked her up from school and Alayna responded yes. He went to move his car and grab his phone so that he could call Parent B (parent of Child A), and when he turned around, he saw Alayna at the van holding Child A. Child A's face was red, and she looked distressed. Alayna was crying as well. He did not want to be confrontational, so he took Child A to his car and immediately called Parent B at 6:10 p.m. to let her know what had happened.
On October 15, 2025, CI Hughes conducted an interview via phone with Parent B (parent of Child A). Parent B stated that she received a call from Parent A at 6:10 p.m. He told her that Child A was not in the facility when he went to pick her up that she was left in the van with no staff members. She knows that the van picks Child A from school at approximately 4:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. The van drops some students off at their homes before returning to the facility. The van is back at the facility anytime between 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. every day. Child A informed her that she did fall asleep in the second row, and she woke up when she heard the van door close. Child A got up and started hitting on the window trying to get Alayna's attention. Child A was scared. Parent B has had issues on 2 occasions where the facility forgot to pick up Child A from school. She has never signed her in or out. She had some previous concerns with the center not having cameras and not having good communication.
On October 14, 2025, CI Hughes observed the weather to be 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit between 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
On October 15, 2025, CI Hughes observed a phone log from Parent A to Parent B. The phone log showed a call was placed from Parent A to Parent B at 6:10 p.m. on October 7, 2025 after Parent A had Child A and was in his car.
CI Hughes could not determine the exact amount of time Child A was left unattended in the van but it appears from staff and parent interviews, that it was approximately one hour from approximately 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on October 07, 2025.
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