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On May 7, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation of on the morning of May 6, 2026, the director instructed staff to move 1-year-old Child A into the 5-year-old classroom. At the time, there were already more than 10 children present in the classroom under the supervision of Christina and Daphney. On May 13, 2026, Compliance Inspector (CI) Christy Hughes conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and found the allegations to be substantiated based on the following information.
5 CSR 25-500.082(1)(C) which states: "Children shall have no access to areas not approved for child care."
On May 13, 2026, CI Hughes conducted in person interviews with director Ebony Raymond and caregivers Taylor Adams, Kassidy Woodside, Christina Phelan and Lucille Bydee.
Ebony stated that she was not aware that a 1-year-old child was being dropped off in the preschool class. On May 06, 2026, staff Christina and Daphney were not in the preschool classroom. Daphney does not work on Wednesdays and Christina did not come in till 9:00 a.m. It was staff Taylor and Lucille in the preschool class with Child A (22-months-old).
Taylor stated that she was not feeling well in the morning on May 06, 2026, so Lucille stayed in the preschool room with her with Child A (age 22-months-old) until another staff member arrived.
Christina stated that she was not at the center when Child A was dropped off in the preschool room on May 06, 2026. She worked a later shift that day.
Lucille stated that Child A arrived at 6:05 a.m. and the parent dropped them off in the preschool room. She stayed in the room until after 8:00 a.m. when another teacher arrived because her co teacher was not felling the best. There were 5 to 6 other children ranging in age from 2-years-old to 6-years-old in the preschool room at the time.
Kassidy stated that she arrived for her shift at approximately 6:50 a.m. She went to take her child into the infant/toddler room. Lucille the infant teacher was not in the classroom. She was in the preschool room. Child A was in the preschool classroom when she arrived with Taylor and Lucille. There were several older children in the classroom with them but she does not know how many. Lucille then took Child A into the Infant/toddler room along with her child.
On May 13, 2026, CI Hughes observed attendance records showing Child A was signed into the center at 6:05 a.m. on May 6, 2026.
CI Hughes also observed attendance records for May 6, 2026, showing the preschool classroom had 7other children ages 3-years-old to 5-years-old during the timeframe Child A was dropped off until 7:00 a.m. when staff member Lucille took Child A back to their classroom.
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