• Violation

  R 400.8125 · R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

  On 07/12/2022, I received an email indicating that a child was missing from St. Mary's School. I called the school and a voice mail message was received stating the school was closed for the summer. I reviewed the file and the center does not offer a summer program. I then emailed the license designee and school age program director, Kathy Falk, to inquire if there was a summer program and if a child had gone missing from the program. On 07/13/2022, I received an email from Ms. Falk indicating that a student left the building on 07/12/2022 but was found safely at the church. The child was part of their "summer camp." On 07/13/2022, I conducted a telephone interview with Ms. Falk. I asked Ms. Falk what happened with the missing child. Ms. Falk stated that on 07/12/2022, Child A was having a difficult time in care. Child A has hearing and sensory issues and 3 wears headphones when overstimulated. Child A has two siblings, Child B and Child C who also attend care. Child A began to escalate and Child A, B and C's Father was called to pick her up early. Child A was sitting in the vestibule outside of the cafeteria to provide her with a quiet space while her father was contacted. Child A was supervised by child care staff members through the glass windows of the cafeteria. When child care staff member, Paul Adasek, went to inform Child A that her dad was picking her up, she was not in the vestibule. When Child A could not be found in the building, the police were called and Child A was eventually located at the church. Ms. Falk was unsure of who found Child A at the church or exactly how long she was missing. During the telephone conference, I asked Ms. Falk to submit a written incident report to me as soon as possible. I informed her that a special investigation was being opened. On 07/14/2022, I received the written incident report from Ms. Falk. The incident report indicated that Child A has a sensitivity disorder and her parents are working with doctors to address the issue. On 07/12/2022, Child A was having a difficult time at summer camp so Mr. Adasek called Maureen Miscavish who is the principal, early childhood program director and licensee designee. Ms. Miscavish determined that Child A needed to go home. Child A was in the gym concession area and was visible to child care staff members through the glass windows of the cafeteria. At 11:48a.m. Mr. Adasek called Child A, B and C's Father to pick her up from camp. At 11:55a.m. Child A was not in the concession area. Ms. Miscavish was again contacted and Ms. Miscavish made an announcement over the public announcement system for Child A to return to the concession area. During that time, the building was searched and when Child A was not located, child care staff member, Denise Blower, called the police at 12:18p.m. At the same time the police were called, Mr. Adasek contacted Child A, B and C's Father to advise him that Child A was missing. The school cameras were then accessed and Child A was observed on video running out of the doors. Child A was found at the parish church courtyard at 12:50p.m. Child A, B and C's Father picked up Child A from the church and returned to the school to pick up Child A's belongings. Child B and Child C remained at camp for the rest of the day. On 07/14/2022, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection. During the onsite inspection I met with Ms. Falk and went to the concession lobby where Child A had been sitting. Ms. Falk explained that although Child A was sitting in the lobby by herself, child care staff members could see her through the partial glass wall separating the cafeteria and lobby. I took pictures of the distance between the cafeteria and where Child A was sitting. Depending on where child care staff were positioned in the cafeteria, Child A was sitting at least 20 feet from the cafeteria and there were blind spots when looking from the cafeteria into the lobby. I then interviewed Ms. Blower. Ms. Blower stated she has been working

On 07/12/2022, Child A (12-year-old female) ran away from the center's summer camp without the child care staff knowing. The police were called after Child A could not be located. She was found at the school's church located off the premises and across a busy street.

Disposition: Substantiated