| Conclusion Summary |
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On January 22, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging that on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at around 4:45 p.m., the reporter saw a young child around the age of 3 or so wandering outside walking into the road off of Bannister Road, heading towards the Phillips 66 next door. No one seemed to have noticed he was gone, and he did not seem to want to return to the facility. After conducting the investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Curtis West finds the allegation is substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of a licensing rule violation that occurred at the facility:
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 25-500.082(6)(A)3., which states "Adult supervision shall be provided at all times when children are outside. For children three (3) years of age and above, staff/child ratios may be one and one-half (1 1/2) times the indoor staff/child ratios. The required indoor staff/child ratios shall be maintained on the premises at all times."
On January 22, 2026, CI West interviewed Reporter Aeris Turner, who stated that while driving home on January 21, 2026, she noticed a young child in the parking lot of a daycare. The child was walking alone and heading towards Bannister Road. She walked over to the child and tried to find out where he was supposed to be. No one from the daycare knew the child was outside. She saw a lady come out of the daycare, who stated the child was supposed to be inside.
On January 23, 2026, CI West conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed Director Souad Bathami and Managing Member Alhussain Hassanat Yusuf. Souad stated that she was working in the 2-year-old classroom in the afternoon of January 21, 2026. She was advised that Child A was outside of the daycare alone from a parent coming inside to pick up around 4:40 p.m. on January 21, 2026. She went outside and saw that Child A was speaking with an adult female. She watched the video and determined that Child A was outside alone for about three minutes.
Alhussain stated that he wasn't present at the daycare on January 21, 2026. He had watched the video of how Child A was able to get out the front door. Child A was alone outside of the daycare for three minutes without adult supervision.
On January 23, 2026, CI West conducted a walkthrough of the facility and observed the distance from the front door to the middle of the front parking lot to be 15 feet. Twenty-two cars drove past the daycare from 8:50 a.m. to 8:53 a.m.
On January 23, 2026, CI West observed the video footage taken on January 21, 2026, in the office of the daycare. The camera is angled down form the corner of the ceiling. The video starts at 4:43:54 p.m. Child A is alone in the front office standing at the front door trying to unlock the door. At 4:44:18 p.m. Child A climbs on a table next to the front door to look out the window. At 4:44:47 Child A walks out of the office and heads to the kitchen area and appears to go back to the classroom. At 4:45:02 p.m. Child A returns to the office again alone. At 4:45:12 p.m. Child A stands at the front door and continues to work on unlocking the door. Child A knocks on the door four times then goes back to work on unlocking the door. At 4:46:05 Child A finally gets the door unlocked. At 4:46:39 after letting himself out the front door, Child A closes the door behind himself. At 4:49:00 p.m. a parent walked in the front door. At 4:49:10, Souad came into view walking into the front office. The parent pointed out the window so that Souad would look. At 4:49:15 p.m. Souad leaves out the front door. At 4:49:40 p.m. Souad returns inside bringing with her Child A.
On February 2, 2026, CI West interviewed Nina, who stated that she was employed as a caregiver at the daycare on January 21, 2026. She never noticed that Child A wasn't in the room with her and the other children. She is unsure of how long Child A was missing from the classroom. Souad brought Child A back into the classroom shortly before 5:00 p.m.
On February 10, 2026, CI West interviewed Parent A, who stated that she was notified by the daycare that Child A was able to get outside and was alone unsupervised. She was allowed to watch the video and is concerned about how long Child A was unsupervised alone in the office prior to getting out the front door.
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