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Compliance Inspector (CI) Jessica Graham investigated the allegation that on March 12, 2026, between approximately 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., Brent picked up Child A in anger, leaving red marks on Child A. This allegation is substantiated based on the following rule violation.
5 CSR 25-500.102(1)(A) which states: "Child care personnel shall be of good character and intent and shall be qualified to provide care conducive to the welfare of children."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)7. which states: "Physical punishment including, but not limited to, spanking, slapping, shaking, biting, or pulling hair shall be prohibited."
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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."
On March 17, 2026, caregiver Kallie Hamm stated that Brent was always frustrated and everyone would try and avoid Brent. Brent would get mad if she asked to even use the bathroom. Brent gets mad and then will start ignoring people. She can tell when Brent starts getting mad because he will yell when the children are around. Brent grabs Child A by the arms and leaves marks on Child A. Brent grabs Child B like this too. Brent will get in children's faces and yell. Parent A is a caregiver and parent of Child A but is also Brents' cousin. Parent A is scared of Brent. There are other caregivers at the facility that are related to Brent and afraid to say things about him.
On March 18, 2026, director Brent Jones stated that he has no idea why someone would say that he would have picked up Child A by the arm and left a mark, but he did have Child A up in the lobby area with him on March 12, 2026 for not listening. Brent stated that he left at 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon of March 12, 2026.
On March 18, 2026, Parent A (parent of Child A and a caregiver at the facility) stated that Child A attends the facility and is in Kayla's class. If Child A does not listen, Child A will go sit in time out and she will talk with Child A. She would go and talk to Child A up front with Brent if Child A was not listening. She has spanked Child A in the facility before for not listening, but she was not aware that she could not spank her own child. Brent was aware that she had spanked Child A before. Brent gets onto the children sternly but she wouldn't consider it yelling. Sometimes she does feel like Brent is harder on Child A with his behaviors. A couple of months ago (Parent A does not remember the exact day), Brent left a mark on Child A. Child A was not listening and Brent picked up Child A by the arms. Brent was also hard on Child D, but Child D is no longer attending.
On March 18, 2026, caregiver Kayla Swaringim stated that she gives the children two verbal warnings before putting them in time out for discipline. If the children don't listen to her, then she will send them up front to Brent. The children get yelled at by Brent. She does not stay in the room with the children when she sends them to Brent so she is not sure what happens. Brent does grab children by their chins and turn their faces quickly when talking to them. She has seen Brent get in the kids faces and yell at them. She has seen Brent pull Child A by the arm, not rough, and has seen Brent lift Child A off the ground by the arm. Brent will lift children up off the ground, onto his chest when he is talking to them, and the children will cry when Brent does this. It is like walking on egg shells around Brent. She often does not want to go into work because she gets yelled at for silly stuff. Brent gets mad easily with the caregivers and the children. The children will say that Brent is mean and not want to go with him.
On March 18, 2026, caregiver Jaden Nash stated that for discipline, they will first try to calm things down, and then use time out according to their age. They send the kids up front for Brent to talk to them if they are not listening. She knows that Parent A will go and spank Child A when Child A is not listening.
On March 18, 2026, Child A (5-years-old) stated that he will go to Brent if he gets in trouble; his teachers send him to Brent. He gets spanked by Parent A at school. Brent yells at him at school.
On March 18, 2026, Child B (4-years-old) stated that Brent yells at her all day at school. Brent yells at her because she is bad. If she bites someone then Brent will yell at her.
On March 18, 2026, Child C (7-years-old) stated that Child A gets in trouble all the time. Child A goes to Brent sometimes. Brent will pick up Child A by the side of his body. Brent yells at everybody. Sometimes Brent hurts Child A when he picks him up because Child A will yell "let me go."
On March 18, 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jessica Graham reviewed camera footage with director Brent Jones showing the lobby area on March 12, 2026 between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. During this timeframe there was no interaction between Brent and Child A.
On March 23, 2026, caregiver Rheanne Kuchera stated that Brent is very inappropriate with caregivers and children. She has taken children to Brent for not listening and Brent will grab the children by the upper arms or by the shoulders. Brent made her leave the room when he was yelling at children. She could hear Brent yelling through the walls of the other room. Brent treats the caregivers like dogs. She is constantly afraid of getting screamed at by Brent.
The caregivers interviewed could not recall of an interaction between Brent Jones and Child A at any specific time on March 12, 2026 but stated that inappropriate interactions have frequently been observed by Brent and Child A as well as with Brent and other children.
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