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On March 5, 2026, the Office of Childhood received allegations that on March 04, 2026, at approximately 3:55 p.m., Child A (7-years-old), chased Child E (9-years-old) around the cafeteria for seven minutes. During those seven minutes, Child A punched another child, kicked a female student, threw a child down to the ground, slapped another student, and started throwing items at kids. There were two workers from Right At School in the room at the time, Ms. Howard and Ms. Vicky, and neither of them did anything to stop Child A from injuring students. Ms. Vicky was approached by three children Child B (10-years-old), Child C (11-years-old) and Child D (10-years-old), informing her of what was going on and Ms. Vicky did not do anything to stop it. The other worker, Ms. Howard, was also told by two students what was happening, and she did nothing to intervene. Ms. Howard finally did intervene and struck Child A and scratched him, causing visible injuries. After completing an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jackie Ruth found these allegations to be substantiated based on the following rule violations:
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."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)11. which states, "Children shall not be permitted to intimidate or harm others, harm themselves, or destroy property."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)2. which states, "Expectations for a child's behavior shall be appropriate for the developmental level of that child."
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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."
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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."
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5 CSR 25-500.132(6) which states, "A child who has a special physical, developmental, or behavioral need shall have on file an individualized plan for specialized care from a professionally qualified source."
On March 5, 2026, CI Ruth observed a photo of the scratch marks on Child A's right arm. This photo was submitted with the report of concern and observed via email. CI Ruth observed four red, bruising lines on Child A's upper right arm. The lines are horizontal and run parallel to each other. The top three lines are about the same size and approximately two to four inches in length. The last line on the bottom is observed to be approximately two thirds shorter than the others.
On March 5, 2026, CI Ruth conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and held in person interviews with Parent A and Parent AA (parents of Child A), area manager Courtney Stevens, caregiver Vicky Davis-Price, and Child C (11-years-old) and Child E (9-years-old).
Parent A and Parent AA said they were called on March 3, 2026, to immediately pick up Child A. When Parent AA arrived, Child A was sitting with Rebecca Crump and was distraught and crying. No explanation or incident report was provided. That evening, they noticed scratches on Child A's right arm. The next day, Courtney told them a teacher had grabbed Child A's wrist while protecting herself from Child A, but later said the video showed a more escalated situation, and the teacher was placed on leave. Courtney also stated the program did not have Child A's IEP, despite Parent A having signed paperwork at the start of the year to provide it. On March 5, 2026, the School Resource Officer (SRO) informed Parent A that although the video was unclear at times, it showed delays in staff response, children attempting to help, and staff not being attentive. Child A is on the autism spectrum and has limited verbal abilities.
Courtney stated that Child A approached Ms. Howard who grabbed his wrist and guided him back to a table by his wrist. The following day, the school principal informed him that students had complained about Ms. Howard using inappropriate language. Courtney reviewed the video footage and observed Child A repeatedly going toward Ms. Howard, while Rebecca Crump tried to intervene and used her body as a shield. He said Child A appeared to be attempting to harm Ms. Howard, though he did not see Ms. Howard strike Child A and does not know how Child A received the scratches on his arm. He said that he does not have concerns about Ms. Howard or Vicky and they have all taken training that includes behavior management, communication, and de-escalation. He saw Child A chasing and touching other children in the video but was unsure if any were harmed. Courtney confirmed he does not have Child A's IEP or behavioral plan.
Vicky stated that the incident began while she was speaking with another parent with her back turned. Child A stopped chasing Child E on his own, no one stopped him. When she noticed Child A, he appeared to be having an issue with Ms. Howard. Child A always hits Ms. Howard and she does not know why. Ms. Howard usually just dodges away from Child A in these situations. Ms. Howard repeatedly tried to move away as Child A approached, but he kept coming back. Rebecca Crump was telling Child A "no" and she cornered Child A by the cabinet. Child A was fighting Rebecca to get to Ms. Howard and Rebecca had to hold him back. She was either using her body or was holding Child A back. Child A kicked Ms. Howard twice and hit her upper body. The situation was fast-moving and chaotic, and Vicky tried to help Rebecca while Ms. Howard sat at a table in shock. Vicky told Ms. Howard to call Child A's parents. Vicky knows Child A is on the autism spectrum but has never seen his IEP and has not been given guidance for his care.
Child C stated that she saw Child A chasing someone and she was shocked because Child A does not usually do that. They were making videos when Child B fell, and Child A came over and kicked her. Child A also pushed Child F on to the floor. She stated the teachers were seated at the first table by the window when this occurred. Child B told the teachers what was going on, and some kids checked on Child F. Ms. Howard stopped Child A by pulling on his arm and she told him to sit down. Child A got back up and he hit Ms. Howard and she hit him back. Child A has hit Ms. Howard before and he stops hitting her when Ms. Howard hits him back. Ms. Vicky was there and Ms. Crump came to help calm Child A down and he stayed with her.
Child E said that he was cleaning up blocks and he took a block away from Child A, who was upset and cried. Child A started chasing him for a couple minutes and the teachers stopped Child A. Ms. Howard grabbed Child A by one arm and he started to fight her. Child E stated that Child A didn't hurt Ms. Howard, but Ms. Howard possibly hurt Child A because she grabbed him really hard. Ms. Crump was holding Child A back from Ms. Howard. and Ms. Vicky was doing nothing, just sitting with some other kids. Child A also pushed and hurt Child F.
On March 6, 2026, CI Ruth conducted an interview with the Academy of Innovation at Remington school principal, Dr. Don Furjes, observed statements from three students, and observed video footage of the incident.
Dr. Furjes stated that Child B (10-years-old), Child C (11-years-old), and Child G (10-years-old) came to the office and reported an adult yelling, threatening, and cussing at Child A (7-years-old) the day before, during the after school program. They wrote statements about what they witnessed. He watched the video the following day and saw behavior that deemed further investigation. There was a lack of supervision while Child A was dysregulated and running around. He stated that Child A became physical and the adults used their hands to restrain him. Rebecca Crump is trained in correct holds and working with children on the spectrum. She tried to help and was not threatening toward Child A. He stated that he cannot guarantee when the scratches on Child A occurred based on the video.
CI Ruth observed video footage of the incident. The video is timestamped on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, beginning at 3:52 p.m. and ending at 4:20 p.m. Between approximately 3:52 p.m. and 4:06 p.m., Child A (7-years-old) was sitting alone at a table when Child E (9-years-old) approached him and appeared to poke him and attempt to take something from him. Child A began to chase Child E around the cafeteria while staff members Vicky Davis-Price and Contessa Howard were seated. Vicky left the table to speak with a parent and her back was to the room. Child A repeatedly chased Child E for several minutes, and Child A appeared in distress at times with his hands over his ears. Vicky noticed the interaction while talking to the parent and at one point Child A and Child E ran between the two, while Ms. Howard remained seated. Vicky sat back down at the table after she finished speaking with the parent. Shortly after, Child A took the parent's hand and dragged the parent to the back left of the room before letting go. During the commotion, Child A ran to children who were seated at a table in the back left of the room, opposite to where the staff members were sitting, struck another child with an object, and pushed Child F (6-years-old) to the floor. Child F remained on the floor for several minutes, although multiple children gathered around to Child F, and one child appeared to report the situation to Vicky. Ms. Howard was observed to get up and clean a table next to where Child F was laying on the floor. She noticed Child F, but did not immediately assist him as she also noticed Child A and Child E. Ms. Howard attempted to intervene with Child A, who ran away toward Vicky, who appeared to comfort him. Ms. Howard continued to clean up before assisting Child F.
At approximately, 4:06:20, Rebecca Crump entered the room. Shortly after, Child A went toward Ms. Howard in a non-threatening manor, and she grabbed Child A by the shoulders as she attempted to turn him away from her. Child A reached up and made contact with Ms. Howard's face before he attempted to run away. As Child A tried to leave, Ms. Howard caught Child A's right arm with her right hand and put her left hand on the back of Child A's neck, forcing his head downward. She walked him to a table in this position and made him sit. Child A held his left hand over his right upper arm and cowered down as Ms. Howard stood over him. Child A attempted to get up and Ms. Howard pushed him back down into the seat by his left shoulder before she walked away. It is unclear if this interaction was observed by Rebecca and/or Vicky. Child A then got up and walked toward the front tables by the cabinets. Ms. Howard turned and reengaged with him, taking his right wrist. Child A attempted to run away from her toward Rebecca while Ms. Howard continued to hold his wrist causing his arm to twist behind his body. She released Child A when he reached Rebecca. Ms. Howard continued to engage with Child A. As Child A kicked his foot, Ms. Howard appeared to catch it and walk him backward, forcing Child A and Rebecca into a corner by the window and cabinets, until their bodies squat to the ground. They stood and Rebecca then restrained Child A as he continued after Ms. Howard, by holding him back by his shoulders. Rebecca guided Child A by both arms back into the corner and positioned herself between Child A and the rest of the room until he eventually sat on the floor and began to calm down. Ms. Howard appeared to be walking throughout the room, and on the phone as Child A was calmed by Rebecca. At approximately 4:14 p.m. Child A was redirected by Rebecca to sit at a table, where she sat with him until Parent AA arrived at approximately 4:20 p.m. During much of the incident, the remaining children in the room appeared to have limited supervision as staff were either sitting down, or focused on managing Child A.
CI Ruth observed a statement written by Child B on March 4, 2026. Child B wrote that Child A kicked her on the hip and pushed Child F. Ms. Howard grabbed Child A and sat him in a seat but Child A was trying to fight back. She heard Ms. Howard say, "Trust me I will hurt you." Child A hit Ms. Howard and she was being harsh to him after that. Child A ran to Ms. Howard and kept trying to kick her. It looked like Ms. Howard was twisting Child A's arm but she's not sure. Ms. Howard was on the phone and she didn't know if the police were being called. She was scared and crying, but later learned that Ms. Howard was calling Child A's dad.
CI Ruth observed a statement written by Child C on March 4, 2026. Child C wrote that Child B fell and Child A came over and kicked her on the side. Child A pushed Child F and Child B went to tell get one of the teachers while her and other kids checked on Child F. She heard Child A start crying and then Child A hit Ms. Howard and kicked her. Ms. Howard said, "I will hurt you if I need to" as a threat. Child B got scared and started to cry. They talked to Ms. Vicky and told her what happened.
CI Ruth observed a statement written by Child G (10-years-old) on March 4, 2026. Child G wrote that him and other students heard cursing. Ms. Howard cursed at him and his friends to sit down. The next time, he was gone, but his friends told him Ms. Howard cursed at other kids.
On March 6, 2026, CI Ruth conducted an interview with Parent A and Parent AA. They said that when they received the phone call to pick up Child A, they were told he was hitting, pinching, and knocking kids over. Child A generally does well in the program and they have not had any recent behavior issues. They started Child A with a short amount of time in the program after school, but they were not told of any issues, so they started increasing the time he was there. Child A follows direction and generally does not bother others unless he is provoked. Child A was suspended from the program following the incident for two to four days.
On March 6, 2026, CI Ruth observed the scratch marks on Child A's right arm. CI Ruth observed that the marks have faded from the initial photo and appear now as bruises. CI Ruth also observed a circular dime size bruise on Child A's chin that Parent A stated came from the incident as well.
CI Ruth observed the photo that was submitted with the report of concern on Parent A's phone. The photo is timestamped on Tuesday March 3, 2026, at 6:34 p.m. CI Ruth observed a second photo on Parent A's phone, with the same timestamp, that shows the scratch marks on Child A's right arm from a higher camera angle.
On March 12, 2026, CI Ruth conducted an interview via phone with area manager Juliana Dammrich. She stated that she is aware of the situation but she is not the area manager over this location, Courtney Stevenson is. Initially she was told that a student came over and tried to hit staff member, Contessa Howard, and she guided him by grabbing his wrist over to a table. He went back to her and then Rebecca Crump came in to help. However, that is not what she saw when she reviewed the video footage. Child A and Ms. Howard had an aggressive exchange and Ms. Howard grabbed Child A and aggressively took him back to the table. She noticed that Child A was grabbing his right arm, where it appeared he was possibly hurt. It looked like Ms. Howard was going to hit him again, but she walked over to the cabinets. Child A went after her and that is when Rebecca stepped in and used her special education background to help control the situation, but Rebecca had to hold Child A back as well. She did not see what led up to it the interaction between Ms. Howard and Child A because she did not see the entire video. Their HR department is also investigating and Ms. Howard was placed on leave. She has not worked with Ms. Howard one on one but has not heard of any complaints about Ms. Howard. She stated that Vicky seems great, but does not know much about her, so she does not have concerns at this time.
On March 13, 2026, CI Ruth conducted an interview via phone with regional manager, Amy Kruckmeyer. Amy stated that she is the regional manager over Right at School programs in Illinois and part of St. Louis. She stated that what was originally conveyed to her was much less serious than what she saw in the video. She was told that Child A attempted to punch Contessa Howard in the face, and Ms. Howard had to intervene. Courtney watched the footage on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, and reported vague details. When she watched the footage the following day she had serious concerns because Ms. Howard was very aggressive in the way she touched Child A, and there was a discrepancy in what was reported to Courtney. The teachers told Courtney that they did not believe Child A was triggered by anything, but when she saw the video, it looked like Child A was being egged on by another student. She noticed supervision concerns and said it looked like Ms. Howard made physical contact first with Child A. She stated that the two staff members who had physical contact with Child A, Contessa Howard and Rebecca Crump, were placed on leave pending their investigation. Ms. Howard aggressively grabbed Child A, but Rebecca also held Child A back by his shoulders. She saw the photo of the scratches on Child A's arm but cannot say exactly how the scratches occurred based on the video because both Ms. Howard and Rebecca had physical contact with Child A. She said that Right at School has a zero-contact policy among students and teachers. She has not worked with the teachers present one on one, so she did not have concerns about them, but after watching the video, she has concerns about all three staff members. She stated Ms. Howard's termination is effective March 13, 2026, and Vicky Davis-Price will be getting a final warning and retraining. Rebecca is trained and works for the special school district, but because their policy does not allow for teacher/student contact, she will likely be let go as well. Amy stated that they will have a new team for this location and will make sure their active supervision policy is being followed. Their protocol for a situation like this, would be for the teacher to provide space so the child can de-escalate safely. If needed, other students should be moved away to prevent injuries and create additional space. The escalated child would continue to be monitored while their family is contacted.
On March 18, 2026, CI Ruth observed an interview with Child A. Child A did not disclose any information relevant to the investigation.
On March 18, 2026, CI Ruth held an interview with Parent A who stated that she watched the video of the incident and was very disappointed in what she saw. She is extremely disappointed with how she found out about the incident because no one from Right at School initially informed her about what happened. She has thought back to past issues where the Right at School employees told her about Child A being aggressive and wonders if there was more to it that what she was told. Child A has shown an uptake in aggression during the school day and she wonders if it is a result of situations at the Right at School program or nervousness that Child A will have attend the program after school. She emailed Amy Kruckmeyer and advocated for Rebecca Crump because if the marks on Child A came from her, she knows it was inadvertent and Rebecca is a great support for Child A. Amy emailed her to discuss additional supports and plans that can be put into place for Child A. She feels mildly more comfortable with Child A attending the program again based on Amy's email about inclusion, and does plan for Child A to remain enrolled.
On March 18, 2026, CI Ruth observed email sent to Parent A, on March 10, 2026, from the Right at School regional manager, Amy Kruckmeyer. The email states that there is a meeting scheduled with their inclusion team to discuss additional supports or resources for Child A when he returns. She wrote that they will continue to allow him to have his own designated space at a table and they will add noise-canceling headphones to the program in case they will be helpful. She also asked Parent A if there are any additional supports, strategies, or resources that could help [Child A] succeed in the program.
On March 18, 2026, CI Ruth held an interview via phone with the program director, Samantha Garcia. She stated that she was aware of a situation between Child A and Ms. Howard, but she was not present when it occurred. She has not seen the video footage, and was only informed of the incident by Courtney Stevenson and Ms. Howard. She does not have concerns about Ms. Howard, Rebecca, or Vicky Davis-Price. She has not seen any aggressive interactions and said they provide adequate supervision. She has never heard Ms. Howard use profanity or speak inappropriately to a child. She was unaware of scratches on Child A and she has not spoken to Child A's parents about the situation. She knows that Child A has an IEP but Right at School never received a copy from Child A's parents. She believes they can properly care for Child A if they provide the support he needs, like sitting at his own table and allowing him to have his own stuff with him. She has an upcoming meeting scheduled with Amy Kruckmeyer and Courtney to discuss and implement an intervention plan for Child A.
On March 19, 2026, CI Ruth conducted an interview via phone with Rebecca Crump and Contessa Howard.
Rebecca said that when she entered the room, she could tell something was going on but did not know what. She saw a group of kids in the far corner looking around, then walked to the table by the window and noticed Child A nearby, very upset, trembling, and highly agitated. When she tried to help calm him, he lunged at Ms. Howard, who tried to hold him back, and Child A was acting aggressively as if he would hit or punch her. She restrained Child A using holds she is trained in through the Special School District (SSD), and she moved him to the cabinet area. Child A kept saying "snowman", meaning he wanted modeling clay, so she got it and they sat at a table where she gave him shoulder and head massages until he began de-escalating. Parent AA arrived while they were sitting together. She did not hear Ms. Howard say anything to Child A, and though she has heard Ms. Howard be authoritative, she has not heard her use profanity. She did not notice scratches on Child A's arm and did She did not believe she held him tightly enough to cause the scratches. She said there has been an ongoing issue where Child A targets Ms. Howard, though she is unsure what provoked this incident. She has not seen Ms. Howard be aggressive toward Child A and has seen her get along well with students. She also has no concerns about Vicky's supervision. Rebecca knows Child A has an IEP but is unsure if the program has a copy, and she has never heard of a behavioral plan for him. She said Child A generally stays occupied and is fine when he is busy, though he sometimes wanders. She doubts the program's ability to care for him mainly because several other special needs children also require support, but believes more supports would make success possible.
Ms. Howard stated that she was doing an activity while Child A was running back and forth in the cafeteria, which he sometimes does. He ran toward her, so she backed against the wall, and when he swung his fist, she caught his hand, then caught his other hand, and walked him back to the table while telling him "safe hands" and that he could not hit her or other children. Child A came at her again and tried to kick her, and she caught his leg before he made contact, then let go as Rebecca Crump restrained him and moved him to the table until Parent AA arrived. Ms. Howard called Parent A to report that he needed to be picked up and that his behavior was escalated. She did not speak with Parent B at pickup but said they have previously discussed Child A putting his hands on her, and Parent AA suggested she speak more firmly to Child A. She said Child A is calmer with a male employee present and more aggressive when the staff is all female. She stated she only told Child A he could not hit or hurt anyone and denied cursing at him. She did not notice scratches on Child A and said she has almond-shaped artificial nails. She said the scratches could have come from their interaction, from Rebecca restraining him, or from Child A himself. She has no concerns about Rebecca or Vicky, and said she and Child A had a fine relationship until this year. Child A was initially good when she started in September, but had become more aggressive during the school day, and school staff informed her so she could be aware. She said the only thing she would have done differently is not return to the program after Child A first got physical with her. She said she does not have knowledge about working with special needs children, the program did not have Child A's IEP or a behavior plan, and she does not feel the program can meet his needs without clearer guidance, more hands-on training, and new policies. She resigned after the incident and turned in her notice on March 13, 2026.
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