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On April 24, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging that an infant female's (unsure of age but under 6 months) bottles would be propped with her blanket while in the swing. After conducting the investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Curtis West finds the allegation is substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of a licensing rule violation that occurred at the facility:
5 CSR 25-500.202(2)(D), which states "Until infants can hold a bottle comfortably, they shall be held by a caregiver during bottle feeding. Bottles shall not be propped."
On April 27, 2026, CI West interviewed Reporter Cassie Willard, who stated that there was an infant who was sitting in an infant swing feeding, and her bottle was propped up by a blanket. She was told that they would only prop the bottles up at feeding time if state wasn't in the building.
On April 29, 2026, CI West conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed Director Anais Harris, who stated that Parent A had stopped by to check in on Child A (4 months old), and she walked into Child A feeding while sitting in a bouncy swing with her bottle propped up by a blanket. She spoke with Cassie about propping the baby's bottle up, and Cassie stated that she was about to change a diaper when Child A woke up fussy. Cassie placed Child A on the bouncy swing and propped her bottle up for a second, so she could change the other child's diaper.
On June 15, 2026, CI West interviewed Parent A, who stated that she walked in and witnessed Child A being fed a bottle that was propped up by a blanket.
And
5 CSR 25-500.102(1)(E), which states "Caregivers shall have knowledge of the needs of children and shall be sensitive to the capabilities, interests, and problems of children in care. "
On April 29, 2026, CI West conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed Director Anais Harris, who stated that she had witnessed Cassie spraying water from the bleach sanitation bottle in a child's face who wouldn't stop crying.
On June 23, 2026, CI West interviewed Reporter Cassie Willard, who stated that she did allow the infant to remain seated with his bottle propped up on a blanket. She did playfully spray water from the cleaning water bottle in the direction of a child who she couldn't get to stop crying.
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