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On February 2, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that: Child B was given to a person that was not the child's parent. The parent in question came to the daycare to pick up her baby and was given the wrong child, Child B. The parent in question saw that Child B's face was swollen and took them to the Emergency Room with concerns of an allergic reaction. The daycare then called the parent in question and told her that the child she had been given and had taken to the ER was not her child and that they had given her the wrong child. The parent in question told the daycare that she would not bring Child B back to the daycare and that Child B's actual parents needed to come to the emergency room to retrieve them. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Michelle Honea has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)3: which states, "A caregiver personally shall admit each child upon arrival and personally shall dismiss each child upon departure. Children shall be dismissed only to the parent(s), guardian, legal custodian, or to individuals approved by the parent(s), guardian, or legal custodian."
On February 3, 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Michelle Honea conducted an unannounced inspection to the facility and interviewed owners Paul Prevo, Infant Toddler Supervisor Destiny Tindall, and teacher Jada Zachery.
On February 3, 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Michelle Honea interviewed owner Paul Prevo who stated that he is not happy this happened and the seasoned teacher was terminated on Monday. Parent A (parent of Child A), came in to the daycare and took Child B out of the daycare without permission and without teachers checking Parent A's I.D. There will be more training for all the teachers and he will update policies. CI Honea also observed the video footage of the incident with Child B from January 30, 2026. The video showed teacher Jada Zachary walked up to the half door and pick up Child B, who was crying, when Parent A walked into the building. In the video, teachers are talking to Parent A about Child B crying and why Child B had been crying. Parent A is stating that Child B is having an allergic reaction and she was taking Child B to the hospital. The video shows Child B leaning away from Parent A as Parent A takes Child B from teacher Jada Zachary and leaves.
CI Honea interviewed teacher Jada Zachery who stated that she is new and she did not ask anyone for an I.D. and did not know all of the parents yet. On Friday January 30, 2026, at pick up, Child B was crying when Parent A came in. Parent A thought Child B was her child and was having an allergic reaction and left quickly with Child A right before Parent B (parent of Child B), came in. Once Parent B came in and they realized they gave Child B to the wrong parent, they notified the office of the situation. From now on she will being asking for I.D.'s on all parents.
CI Honea interviewed Infant Toddler Supervisor Destiny Tindall who stated that teacher Jada Zachary contacted the office about the situation. She looked at video footage of Parent A taking Child B out of the daycare. She went to the classroom to figure out what happened. She called Parent A and told Parent A to return Child B or law enforcement would be called. Child B was released to Parent B from the hospital. Parent B did not want to call law enforcement since she got her child back. Going forward, photos of children will be done, and all parents I.D.'s will be checked prior to leaving the center.
On February 4, 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Michelle Honea conducted a phone interview with Parent B (parent of Child B) who stated that on Friday January 30, 2026, she arrived to pick up Child B and Child B was not there. She was told another parent picked up Child B. She went to the hospital to pick up Child B. The policy is to check I.D.'s, but no one did that.
On February 4, 2026, CI Honea conducted a phone interview with Parent A (parent of Child A) who stated that she heard Child B crying and she never noticed Child B was not her child. She panicked when she saw Child B and thought that her child was having an allergic reaction and needed to go to the hospital. It wasn't until the daycare called that she realized Child B was not her child. The daycare is now supposed to be checking I.D.'s before releasing any children to any parents.
On February 4, 2026, CI Honea conducted a phone interview with Allison Frandsen who stated that she had just started back at the daycare, and it was the first time working with teacher Jada. She just assumed there was a sign out in the front office. Parent A came in and took Child B out the door. She already left the room when she heard about the situation. She was fired for not following protocol and checking parents I.D.'s.
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