Melissa Casper

R 400.1911 · 1 R 400.1911 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

On 01/27/2022, I interviewed the complainant. The complainant had no additional information to provide on the allegations. On 01/27/2022, I interviewed Witness 1. In August or September 2021, Child A was placed in a crib in one of the bedrooms during nap time. While Child A was crying during nap time, Ms. Casper walked into the bedroom with a water spray bottle and sprayed Child A in the face to stop him from crying. Witness 1 did not witness this incidence, but Ms. Casper verbally confirmed it occurring. Ms. Casper later disclosed to Child A's Mother that she sprayed Child A in the face to stop him from crying during nap time. The second incident occurred again sometime between August and September 2021. During this incident, Child B was placed in the back infant room because Ms. Casper did not want to hear him crying. Ms. Casper went into the nap room and then walked out. She informed Witness 1 that she had just sprayed Child B in the face in hopes that it stops him from screaming. Ms. Casper leaves the infants in the nap room from 1 to 3 PM each day and she likes to have all the children on the same nap schedule. Witness 1 has observed Ms. Casper refusing a morning snack to Child D -month- old, female) on multiple occasions. Ms. Casper will not allow children an a ernoon snack if they do not finish their lunch. Ms. Casper reported that Child D Witness 1 is unclear how Ms. Casper came to this conclusion since Child D is too young to diagnose. Ms. Casper diagnoses most of the infants as autistic. She discussed Ms. Casper videotaping Child D crying after purposely making Child D upset and sending the video to her parents informing them that something was wrong with her. Ms. Casper would take away comfort items, like Child D's blanket and pacifier, and direct her not to provide them to her. Witness 1 also reported that Ms. Casper would "taunt the kids with their comfort items." She provided an example that Ms. Casper would say, "Oh, you want the binkie? Then you listen to Missy. Oh, you made a peep? You're not getting your binky." Ms. Casper would tell Child D, "You are used to getting everything you want, you are catered too, and you are treated like a little princess, but not here." Ms. Casper has also made similar statements to Child E -year-old, male). Ms. Casper says that Child D fears other children even though this is not true. On 01/31/2022, 02/07/2022, 03/03/2022, and 03/17/2022. I interviewed child care staff members (CCSM) Joanna Korthase, Bretta McQueen, Melissa Payne, Molli McHugh, and Heather Jutson-Ladd. They all denied witnessing any child care staff members spraying children in the face with water at Ms. Casper's child care. Ms. Casper did disclose to all staff, except Ms. Payne, that she sprayed Child A in the face with water to stop his screaming. Ms. McQueen stated that Ms. Casper said rj she sprays her cat to get off the table, so she sprayed Child A in the face to stop him from screaming. Staff are not aware of an incident where Ms. Casper sprayed Child B in the face with water. They denied witnessing Ms. Casper or any other child care staff members mocking or making fun of children. They denied Ms. Casper withholding food as a punishment. They denied Ms. Casper mocking or making fun of children. On 01/31/2022, I made an unannounced visit to the home of Melissa Casper from 11:17 AM to 01:20 and I interviewed Ms. Melissa Casper. Ms. Casper denied any child care staff members mocking or making fun of children at the child care. She stated that sometimes she might make a comment like, "I wish they allowed us to have Baileys in our coffee." Ms. Casper verbally jokes around but she denied ever mocking children if they are upset. Ms. Casper denied withholding food from children as a form of discipline. Regarding the spray bottle incident, Ms. Casper admitted that she sprayed Child A in the face several months ago with a spray bottle containing water to stop Child A from screaming. She discussed Child A being in

R400.1913 · R400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (2) Developmentally appropriate positive methods of discipline that encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.

On 01/27/2022, I interviewed Witness 1. Witness 1 disclosed there are numerous concerns involving Ms. Casper's ability to provide proper care and supervision of children. Ms. Casper directs child care staff members to not comfort children when they are upset during nap time. Ms. Casper routinely takes away Child DD's pacifier and blanket for no reason. When Ms. Casper would remove these items from Child DD, it resulted in Child DD crying. Ms. Casper would isolate Child DD by placing her in another room away from the other children. On one occasion, Ms. Casper aggressively picked up Child DD and placed Child DD on her butt when in the garage playroom. When this happened, Child DD tried to get up and push through the child gate. Ms. Casper swung around and blocked the gate with her foot which resulted in Child DD's fingers being crushed by the gate. Ms. Casper has also left children in the garage unattended which has resulted in children sustaining bite injuries from other children. Witness 1 also stated that Ms. Casper would place Child D in the back bedroom crying for extended periods of time. Ms. Casper directed staff to not comfort Child D which resulted in Child D throwing up on herself from crying so hard. Ms. Casper said to Child D, "Wow, you cried so hard, you threw up." Ms. Casper does not check on children during sleep and, on one occasion, she refused to allow Child E month-old, male) to take a nap in the morning. Witness 1 has observed childa ren 14 having to sleep in soiled diapers during nap time because Ms. Casper has directed staff to not check on the children when they are crying. Witness 1 specifically identified to Child E and Child F -year-old, male) as having to sleep in soiled diapers. Ms. Casper also placed a weighted sleep sack on Child E backwards, so there was a large bump from the weight on his back. The sleep sack was tight around Child E's throat. During snack and meal times, Ms. Casper places children on stools with no backs which has resulted in children falling off the stools. No children have been seriously injured from falling off the stools. On 01/31/2022, I made an unannounced visit to the home of Melissa Casper from 11:17 AM to 01:20 PM where I interviewed Ms. Casper. I spent the first part of my inspection observin . There were 10 children present I. I o -b ms oe nrv thed Child I -month- old, male), Child H ~-year-old, female), and Child M -old, femaa a sitting on stools at the kitchen island. Child A was in a booster seat connected to the kitchen island. The stools are backless and 32 inches high. I inquired whether a child has fallen off these stools during lunch. Ms. Casper reported Child H falling off the side of the stool a couple of weeks ago, but she denied Child H sustaining any injuries from the fall. I informed Ms. Casper that the stools are a safety concern due to how high children sit up on them and the children need to be in booster seats in a chair with a back. Ms. Casper pointed to two chairs with booster seats on them. She stated that she had purchased them after a parent had expressed concern over children sitting on the backless stools. Ms. Casper denied not allowing infants to sleep on demand and she denied leaving children in porta-cribs for extended periods of time crying. Ms. Casper attempts to comfort children when they are upset by rubbing their backs and frequently checking on them during nap time. Checking on children during nap time involves Ms. Casper identifying whether a child has a soiled diaper and whether they present with an illness. She denied a child ever throwing up due to crying for extended periods of time. She denied not allowing child care staff members to comfort upset children during nap time and she denied taking away comfort items like a pacifier to children during nap time. I observed Ms. Casper providing a pacifier to two different children during nap time while onsite. Ms. Casper clarified that she starts transitioning children to a having a na

R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (a) Hit, spank, shake, bite, pinch, or inflict other forms of corporal punishment.

On 01/27/2022, I interviewed Witness 1. Witness 1 disclosed that Ms. Casper forcibly feeds infants bottles by pushing back on their foreheads by using her palm and Ms. Casper used a moldy Doctor Brown's bottle with Child B on several occasions without washing or replacing it. On 01/31/2022, 02/07/2022, 03/03/2022, and 03/17/2022. I interviewed CCSM Joanna Korthase Melanie Payne, Molli McHugh, Bretta McQueen, and Heather Jutson-Ladd. They denied witnessing Ms. Casper or any other child care staff members forcibly feeding infants or children. Ms. McQueen and Ms. McHugh indicated that Ms. Casper does push infant's heads back with her palm to help stabilize their head when feeding, but they denied it being done in a forceful way. Ms. Jutson-Ladd denied witnessing Ms. Casper using her hands to cover a child's mouth to force a child to eat food, she denied witnessing Ms. Casper place food in child's mouth, and she denied children having to eat all food served to them. Ms. McQueen discussed child care staff members try to get children to do what they call a "no thank you bite." She stated that staff will place food on a fork and try to get children to taste it. On 01/31/2022, I made an unannounced visit to the home of Melissa Casper from 11:17 AM to 01:20 PM. I observed Ms. Casper washing infant bottles after lunch. I asked if there has ever been an occasion where she has given a child a visibly dirty bottle and she stated no. Ms. Casper denied forcibly feeding infants. She discussed Child B moving around a lot when she is trying to give him a bottle, so there are 27 times when she must hold his head back to get the bottle in his mouth. She denied feeding children in a forceful manner. On 02/01/2022, 02/02/2022, 02/07/2022, 02/09/2022, 03/07/2022, 03/09/2022, 03/14/2022, and 03/21/2022, I interviewed Child AA's Mother, Child B's Mother, Child E's Mother, Child G's Mother, Child H's Mother, Child I's Mother, Child I's Father, Child J's Mother, Child K's Mother, Child L's Mother, Child M's Mother, Child M's Father, Child N's Mother, Child 0 &P's Mother, Child Q & X's Mother, Child V's Mother, and Child U, Y, & Z's Father. They denied knowing about allegations related to force feeding children by Ms. Casper. Child F's Mother had heard from a former staff member that Ms. Casper was force feeding Child F, but she denied having any concerns related to Ms. Casper force feeding children. On 02/02/2022 and 03/07/2022, I interviewed Child A's Mother. Child A's Mother was informed by a friend that Ms. Casper is force feeding children, but she does not believe this occurred with Child A. Child A's Mother inquired about what was meant On 03/01/2022, I received a call from has witnessed Ms. Casper force feeds toddlers so theyRwi eat carrotsMan idfiferent vegetables. Ms. Casper would place food in the toddler's mouth. If the children would not chew it, Ms. Casper would cover the child's mouth with her own hand and then use her other hand to plug the child's nose. identified witnessing Ms. Casper cover Child R -year-old, U, and Child V's le"i mouths and noses with her hand. She enied Ms. Casper directly her or other staff to force feed children and, she never witnessed any other staff force feeding children in her care. On 03/02/2022, I received a written statement from regarding force feeding occurring at Ms. Casper's child care. She disclosed thatif a child refused to eat the item, a vegetable, Melissa would place it in the child's mouth. If the child refused, she would cover the mouth with her hand. This would cause gagging and crying. Sometimes Ms. Casper would pinch the child's nose to ensure the child would swallow the food. At that time, Ms. Casper directed the child to take a quick drink of water or milk. On 03/04/2022, I received another email from former child care staff stating, "The following is a list of children I know for certainm weerme fborecer We i -year-old, male), Child R, Child U, Child U's cousin, unknown child, and Child -year

R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. ............................................... ............ ........... (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (d) Inflict mental or emotional stress, such as humiliating, shaming, threatening a child, or using derogatory remarks.

Interviews with Ms. Casper, child care staff members, and parents did not support the claim that Ms. Casper was mocking or making fun of children. ............................................................ .............................................................................................. .........................

R400.1913 · ............... ...... R400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (e) Deprive a child of meals, snacks, rest, or necessary toilet use.

Interviews with Ms. Casper, child care staff members, and parents did not support the claim that Ms. Casper or child care staff members withheld food from children as a form of discipline.

R 400.1911 · 1 R 400.1911 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and supervision of children at all times. 25

Ms. Casper did not ensure that appropriate care and supervision of children occurred at all times. Interviews with parents, child care staff members, witness 1, Ms. Casper, and onsite observations indicated that children were being left children in car seats for 30 minutes in the morning during drop off, children ages one year and older were being placed on high backless stools during meal time, there were repeated biting incidences occurring among various children, children are being left to cry for extended periods of, and she admitted that on one occasion, a child was on the toilet for an unspecified amount of time. I

R 400.1914 · R 400.1914 Daily activity program. 1) Personnel shall engage in positive interactions with children. For infants and toddlers, interactions may include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (b) Promptly responding to a child's cries and other signs of distress.

Several parents reported Ms. Casper practicing "tough love" with the children by engaging in the crying out method. Child care staff member Heather Jutson-Ladd indicated that the "crying out method" is utilized at the child care. Child D's Mother reported that in December 2021, Child D returned home with vomit on her body. Child D's Mother reported that Ms. Casper informed her that this was due to Child D crying so hard during nap time. Ms. Casper went onto report to that she cannot hold children due to there being too many children in care. Parent and child care staff member interviews indicated that children were left to cry during nap time unless they had a soiled diaper or presented with an illness.

R 400.1923 · 1 R 400.1923 Diapering and toilet learning. (3) Diapers or training pants must be changed when wet or soiled. O

Interviews with Ms. Casper, child care staff members, and parents did not show that children's diapers were not being changed when soiled or children were consistently being made to remain in soiled diapers.

R 400.1911 · R 400.1911 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

Ms. Casper did not ensure that appropriate care and supervision of children occurred at all times. Ms. Casper admitted to forcing children to try new foods by placing her thumb and index finger on a child's cheeks to open their mouth in order to place food in there. Ms. Casper denies placing her hand over a child's mouth after placing food in there, however, interviews with Ms. Crandall, detailed Ms. Casper holding her hand over a child's mouth and/or pinching the children's noses to get them to swallow the food.

R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (a) Hit, spank, shake, bite, pinch, or inflict other forms of corporal punishment.

Ms. Casper did not ensure that personnel refrained from inflicting forms of corporal punishment. Ms. Casper admitted to placing her thumb and index finger on a child's cheeks to pinch their mouth open to place food in there. Ms. Casper reported that this is how she would get children to try new foods.

R 400.1931 · 1 R 400.1931 Food preparation and service. (7) Children shall be encouraged to taste new foods, but shall not be required to eat anything they do not want 31

Ms. Casper did not ensure that she only encouraged children trying new foods and instead she required children to try new food by placing her index finger and thumb on the side of children's mouths to open it and place food in it.

R 400.1916 · R 400.1916 Bedding and sleeping equipment. (15) Children over 24 months of age shall have an individual, age appropriate, clean, comfortable, and safe place to sleep or rest. The floor may be used only when padded, warm, and free from drafts and when there is a mat, sleeping bag, blanket, or similar piece of bedding between the floor and the child.

Ms. Casper did not ensure that children over 24 months of age had an individual, age-appropriate, clean, comfortable, and safe place to sleep. During the onsite inspection on 01/31/2022, I witnessed Ms. Casper place Child 0 in the bathroom closest to the garage to sleep during nap time. Interviews with Ms. Casper and child care staff members confirmed that children are being made to sleep in the bathroom at times.

R 400.1931 · R 400.1931 Food preparation and service. (2) A licensee shall ensure that food is prepared, served, and stored in a safe and sanitary manner by meeting all of the following requirements: (a) Food served to children individually or family style must be discarded at the end of the meal if not eaten. 33

Ms. Casper did not ensure that food served to children individually or family style was discarded at the end of the meal if not eaten. During the onsite inspection on 01/31/2022, my interview with Ms. Casper, and child care staff interviews, it was confirmed that Ms. Casper and staff had been saving left over food served to children during lunch and snack times.

R 400.1936 · R 400.1936 Animals and pets. (4) Animals and pets shall not be allowed in food preparation and eating areas during meal or snack time.

Ms. Casper did not ensure that animals and pet were not allowed in the food preparation and eating areas. During the onsite inspection on 01/31/2022, I observed Ms. Casper's dog in the kitchen and dining room while children were eating lunch.