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On April 27, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that Child A (2-years-old) eloped from Bethlehem Lutheran Childcare @ Chapel of the Cross and was located in the road and was safely secured and in the back of a vehicle when law enforcement arrived. Child A was last seen on camera at 11:01 a.m. and was outside unsupervised for approximately five to ten minutes. The door Child A eloped out of was the door that the staff and volunteers were using to go into the church part of the building to help set up for the Lutheran Day Celebration. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Patrick O'Malley has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-300.060 (1)(A), which states: "Children shall not be left without adult supervision."
On April 27, 2026, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and conducted interviews with director Jessica Cobbs, staff Saprina Cooksey, Sherry Bass, and Tamisha Smith.
Director Jessica Cobbs stated that on Friday, April 24, 2026, the facility had between thirty and forty middle school students and teachers volunteer from Immanuel Lutheran in Wentzville participating in clean-up and repair. Jessica did not know any of the volunteers' names. Most of the volunteers were in the facility's gym that morning, playing with children under the supervision of the facility's staff. A group of two or three student volunteers were in the hallway next to the gym, putting down two hopscotch courts. Child A left the gym and joined the student volunteers in the hallway. Child A was with the volunteers in the hallway for about twenty minutes until the volunteers returned to the gym. Child A did not return to the gym with the volunteers. The volunteers did not inform any of the staff that Child A was no longer with them. At 11:30 a.m., she received a phone call from Officer Kirksey with the St. Louis County police. Officer Kirksey informed her that he was outside of the facility's main entrance with Child A. Jessica proceeded to the front entrance, where Officer Kirksey was waiting with Child A. Officer Kirksey informed her that the St. Louis County Police Department had been called by an anonymous female driver who had seen Child A standing outside in the parking lot as she was passing the facility. Officer Kirksey was dispatched to the scene, where the female driver was waiting with Child A. The female driver left Child A with Officer Kirksey, who called the facility. Jessica and Officer Kirksey reviewed video footage of the incident and determined that the last time Child A appeared on camera was 11:01 a.m. The footage showed Child A leaving the gym and entering the hallway, but it did not show Child A leaving the facility. There was a heavy interior door between the entrance and the facility that was usually kept closed, but it had been propped open on April 24, 2026 for the volunteers. Jessica contacted Parent A (parent of Child A) immediately after Officer Kirksey left, and informed Parent A of the incident. Child A was still enrolled at the facility.
Staff Saprina Cooksey, Sherry Bass, and Tamisha Smith all affirmed that they were present in the gym on the morning of April 24, 2026. They all affirmed that thirty to forty volunteers were also present. They all denied seeing Child A leave the gym. They all denied that any volunteers told them Child A was missing. They all denied knowing that Child A had left the facility.
On April 27, 2026, CI O'Malley conducted a phone interview with Parent A (parent of Child A), who stated that she was contacted by Jessica around noon on April 24,2026. Jessica informed her of the incident. Parent A was satisfied with Child A's care at the facility. Child A was still enrolled at the facility.
On April 27 and 28, 2026, CI O'Malley attempted to contact Officer Kirksey by phone, voicemails were left on both occasions. Officer Kirksey has not returned contact.
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