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On June 15, 2026, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging Candy snatched up a little boy by his arm and spanked his butt and went to sit him down firmly on the ground saying you're supposed to be sitting here. Child was crying and looking out the window. After conducting the investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Rebecca Muckelrath finds the allegation to be substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of licensing rule violations which occurred at the facility:
RSMo 210.254.2. The notice of parental responsibility shall include the following: (5) The disciplinary philosophy and policies of the child-care facility; and
On June 18, 2026, CI Muckelrath conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed Director Glenda Brattin and Teacher Kandi Davidson. Glenda stated she was aware of the situation because another child's mother had called her and reported the situation. She spoke with Kandi, who reported to her she did not spank the child but rather tapped him on his diaper because he would not sit in the circle. They are not to spank children. She talked with Kandi about using timeout instead. Kandi reported only tapping Child A on his full diaper because he was not listening to her and kept getting up to look out the window. She understands that they are not allowed to spank children. She hoped the tap on the diaper would help him know that he could not continue to get up to look out the window.
On June 11, 2026, CI Muckelrath observed the facility's Notice of Parental Responsibility. There is a section in the middle of the page titled Facility Discipline and Educational Philosophy/Policies. There is a section under this title which has a header that reads: "The disciplinary philosophy and policies of this facility are:" The statement that follows is what the facility inserted into this section. "We recognize that positive discipline teaches and encourages the healthy development of a child's self-esteem. Caregivers will employ positive discipline techniques which include praising, calling attention to appropriate behavior and acting as good role models in order to influence and reinforce a child positively. We set limits that are developmentally appropriate and consistently reinforced."
On August 14, 2028, CI Muckelrath interviewed Parent A and Parent B. Parent A reported that she is not okay with Child A being spanked or even patted on the butt. She was not aware this occurred. Parent B reported that she was dropping her child off, and she witnessed Teacher Kandi Davidson pick a child up forcefully under his arms. She witnessed Kandi spank Child A on the butt two times. She witnessed Kandi then place Child A down forcefully on a circle on the carpet. She did not think they were allowed to spank. She was not comfortable with how Kandi was handling the child.
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