• 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 May 19, 2023, 1 received a phone call from Jenny Brundage, Child Care Licensing Consultant. Ms. Brundage stated that she was in touch with the program director and licensee designee Nichole Cozart. Ms. Cozart was unaware anything transpired between Child A and Child B in 2022. Child A's Mother sent Ms. Cozart an email on May 13, 2023, which she received on May 15, 2023, regarding the disclosure of the incident by Child A. Ms. Brundage went on to say that Ms. Cozart spoke to the Child Care Staff Members who were there at the time of the alleged incidents and has reached out to Child B's Mother regarding the allegations. Child B's Mother asked him about the incidents and Child B admitted to the incident occurred. On May 23, 2023, I made an unannounced onsite inspection to the child care center. I discussed the allegations in the complaint with the program director and licensee designee Nichole Cozart. Ms. Cozart stated she was completely shocked when she received the email regarding Child A and Child B. She does not know how this occurred in a classroom with other children and child care staff members. Ms. Cozart said CCSM 1 and CCSM 2 were present in the classroom at the time of the alleged incident. Neither CCSM 1 or CCSM 2 were at the center at the time of my on-site inspection and CCSM 2 only works during the summer months. During my onsite inspection, I observed the space used by the school-age children. The classroom is a large open space in the basement of the child care center. There is a large bean bag type pillow against one wall in the corner of the classroom. Ms. Cozart stated that this is where Child A and Child B said the incident occurred. Ms. Cozart said that some school-age children sit on the pillow during rest time and engage in quiet activities since most of them don't nap. The preschool classroom is next to the school-age area. The preschool children nap so the lights are turned off. There light source in the basement is connected, so if the light is off in the preschool room, they go off in the school-age room. Ms. Cozart turned off the lights, so I could 5assess the lighting when the lights are off. The classroom has night lights to provide soft lighting in the classroom when the lights are off. On June 28, 2023, I called Child A's Mother and left a voicemail message. On June 28, 2023, I called Child B's Mother and discussed the allegations in the complaint. Child B's Mother stated she was unaware anything happened at the child care center with Child B until she was contacted by Ms. Cozart. After speaking to 3 Ms. Cozart she spoke to Child B, who admitted that he and {Child A} were touching each other's genitals. She said Child B also told her it happened multiple times between 15 and 20 incidents. Child B also stated that the touching was initiated by both he and Child A. I asked Child B's Mother if Child B mentioned where the adults were at the time these incidents occurred. Child B's Mother said she would ask Child B and placed me on speaker phone while she spoke to Child B. Child B's Mother let Child B know that he was not in trouble, but she needed to ask a few questions and wanted him to tell the truth. Child B's Mother asked him who the "teachers" {Child care staff members} were in the classroom when he was in child care last year. Child B stated {CCSM 1} and {CCSM 2} worked in the classroom. Child B's Mother then asked where they were when he and {Child A} were touching each other. Child B said they were in the classroom. She asked where at in the classroom and Child B responded sometimes at the table and sometimes walking around the room. Child B's Mother asked if they were every left alone in the classroom and Child B replied, "no." Child B said CCSM 1 was always there, but CCSM 2 left to go to college. Child B's Mother asked Child B where he and Child A were when they were with each other and Child B replied we were on the pillow. On June 28, 2023, I spoke to CCSM 1. CCSM 1 stated she never s

During the summer of 2022 Child A (age 10 years) and Child B (age 12 years) were not being supervised properly and engaged in touching each other's genitals while in childcare. Tracey Cozart, Licensee did not contact the department within 24 hours of notification of inappropriate contact.

Disposition: Substantiated