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On April 23, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation of n, April 23, 2026, Child A (age 6-years-old), was dropped off around 7:30 a.m. at the daycare. The daycare van leaves around 8:40 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to drop off at the elementary school. Duchesne Elementary School, contacted Parent A at 9:05 a.m., and stated that Child A was dropped off at Brown Elementary School in Hazelwood, MO instead of at Duchesne. The principle at Brown, stated that she knows her kids and noticed a new student had walked through the door. The Brown Elementary principle contacted the Duchesne elementary principle and then they contacted Parent A. The daycare never notified Parent A. Parent A picked up Child A from Brown Elementary at 9:14 a.m. Parent A called the daycare around 11:00 a.m. and has not received a call back from the daycare. On April 29 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Christy Hughes conducted an inspection of the facility and found the allegations to be substantiated based on the following information.
5 CSR 25-500.212(1)(A) which states: "The provider shall be responsible for the care, safety and supervision of children on field trips or at any time they transport children away from the facility"
AND
5 CSR 25-500.212(3)(J) which states: "Children shall be released only to the parent(s) or individual(s) authorized by the parent(s)."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.212(3)(K) which states: "The operator of the vehicle shall wait until the child is in the custody of the parent(s) or individual(s) authorized by the parent(s) to receive the child."
On April 29, 2026. CI Hughes conducted in person interviews with director Ore Admas and van driver/ caregiver Tara Cook. Ore stated that she knew nothing about Child A being taken to the wrong school on April 23, 2026 and Parent A did not tell her or reach out. Tara stated that she transports to the Ferguson-Florissant District schools. She has never been to Brown Elementary and knows that Child A attended Duchesne Elementary. She did not know that Child A had been transported to the wrong school and she has never transported Child A to the wrong school.
On April 29, 2026, CI Hughes conducted an interview via phone with Parent A. Parent A stated that Child A has been attending the facility since September of 2025. Parent A dropped Child A off at the facility around 7:30 a.m. and she received a call from Child A's school stating that he had been dropped off at Brown Elementary, Hazelwood School District. Child A attends Duchesne Elementary in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Parent A went and picked up Child A and took him to his school. Parent A was very upset. Child A is not very verbal. Parent A reached out to the childcare facility but never heard back from them and Child A did not return to the facility.
On May 1, 2026, May 15, 2026, May 18, 2026, and May 19, 2026, CI Hughes attempted to contact Melanie Davidson, principal of Brown Elementary School. CI Hughes left messages with no return call.
On May 18, 2026, CI Hughes conducted an interview via phone with caregiver/van driver Michael Adams. Michael stated that he drove the van for Little Steps and did drop Child A off at the wrong school on April 23, 2026. He did not know that he had done it until the investigation because there is another child that looks just like Child A, and he thought it was him. He does carry a list of children's name for each school and marks them off as they get on and off the van. It should never have happened, it was wrong.
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