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On March 30, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging that teacher Alexus Libeer grabbed a child as they were passing Alexus in the hallway and kicked a child in anger. After conducting the investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Cole Eddins finds the allegation is substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of licensing rule violations which occurred at the facility:
RSMo 210.254.2. which states: "The notice of parental responsibility shall include the following: (5) The disciplinary philosophy and policies of the child-care facility; and"
On March 31, 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Cole Eddins completed an unannounced inspection and interviewed Director Regan Henning, Assistant Director Haleigh Taylor, and Caregiver Kristina Wyatt. Regan and Haleigh provided consistent information. Haleigh and Regan stated that on March 26, 2026, sometime around 5:30 p.m., they were informed by Kristina that she may have observed Alexus grab and/or kick Child A before lunch on March 26, 2026. On March 27, 2026, they reviewed video footage of the incident and observed Child A running around the corner at the end of the hallway while Alexus grabbed Child A by one arm. Alexus swings Child around her body and places Child A on the ground next to her at around 11:00 a.m. They then observed Alexus possibly kicking Child A with her right foot in an unknown area. Due to the camera angle, it was hard to tell if or where she kicked Child A. They then observed Alexus drag Child A about a foot or two by one of her ankles before she left Child A alone.
Kristina started that she was not working with Alexus on March 27, 2026, but she was in the hallway when she observed Alexus' class turn the corner from the stairway to walk towards their classroom at around 11:00 a.m. She observed Child A trying to run and Alexus chasing after Child A. She did not get a good look at the incident, but she thought she observed Alexus grab Child A and swing her body around Alexus's body. Child A was placed on the ground, and she observed Kristina kick Child A, but she did not see where she was kicked.
On March 31, 2026, CI Eddins observed the facility's Notice of Parental Responsibility, which stated that Christ Early Learning Center encourages the use of successful positive behavior guidance to build strong relationships that are grounded in trust and respect.
Based on the information provided, Alexus was not following the facility's discipline policy according to the Notice of Parental Responsibility, when she yanked and kicked Child A in the hallway.
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