Holy Trinity Lutheran Early Childhood Program

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 08/03/2021, I conducted an unannounced on-site inspection at Holy Trinity Lutheran Early Childhood Program. I spoke with Program Director, Keri Eubank regarding the allegations. Ms. Eubank stated that she was aware of the situation and is certain that Ms. Howarth did not leave children unattended because this situation happened at least twenty minutes before Ms. Howarth was to clock into work. She stated that there was never a time Ms. Howarth left children unattended. She stated that there is always at least two or more staff members and sometimes a parent volunteer in the classroom. On 09/23/2021, I spoke to the complainant regarding the complaint. The complainant stated that she and Ms. Howarth have a volatile relationship due to Ms. Haworth dating her soon to be ex-husband. The complainant stated that her son was out of school due to him being sick so she arranged for a friend to pick up her son's 2 homework. Ms. Howarth became aware of this and tried to prevent her friend from picking up her son's homework by leaving her classroom and gong into to her son's classroom located on the other side of the building. I asked the complainant if she knew that Ms. Howarth left the children alone in the classroom unsupervised. She stated that she cannot say whether the child care children were left alone because sometimes there are other staff members in the classroom and because she was not there. On 10/11/21, I spoke with Michelle Howarth regarding the complaint, and she stated that she did not leave child care children alone in a classroom to go to the other side of the school building to prevent a parent from picking up homework for her boyfriend's son because this incident happened prior to 8:00am which was before her shift even started. 10/15/2021, I spoke with Mary Boomer, child care staff member regarding the complaint. Ms. Boomer stated she vaguely recalls the situation but doesn't recall all the details because it happened a long time ago. She stated that she knows that there are always at least two or three staff members in the room. It was always herself, Michelle Howarth or the director, Keri Eubank in the classroom, so if Michelle Howarth left the room, there still would have been herself and/or Ms. Eubank still in the classroom.

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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 08/03/2021, I spoke to the Program Director, Keri Eubank regarding the complaint. She stated that she was made aware of the situation with Child A (Female, school-age) and Child B (Male, school-age) by Child Care Staff Member, Krista Seelhoff. She stated that Ms. Seelhoff told her that she was clearing off the tables when she looked over and saw Child A and Child B were playing in a corner play station. She saw Child A lifting the bottom of her shirt towards Child B and she told her "No thank you". Ms. Eubank stated that when she talked to Child A about it, Child A told her that she only lifted her shirt a little to show her belly. Child A told her that Child B asked her to lift her shirt or play doctor she can't remember. She stated that Child A did not disclose any touching or physical contact. On 09/24/21, I spoke with the complainant regarding the complaint. The complainant stated that she and Child A's Father are friends and he told her about what happened. He told her that the incident happened in after school care with Child Care Staff member, Krista Seelhoff. He said he was told that she saw Child A with the bottom of her shirt up and she told her "No Thank You". The complainant stated that as a female friend of the family, she decided to talk to Child A about it. Child A told her that she and Child B were in the corner playing "doctor" and that they had played "doctor" before. She also told her that Child B told her that if she didn't play, he wouldn't be her friend. Child A said that the staff member saw her and told her to stop and then she took her to talk to Ms. Yax and Ms. Smith. I asked her if Child A told her whether Child B touched her. She stated that Child A did not disclose to her whether he touched her, and she didn't want to ask her. The complainant stated that as far as she knows an incident report was not made about what happened. On 09/24/21, I spoke with the school age staff member Ms. Yax regarding the complaint. She stated that she was not in the room when the incident happened. She stated Ms. Seelhoff told her what happened and brought Child A to her room for her to talk to her. She stated that she asked Child A what happened, Child A told her they were playing "doctor," that she pulled up her shirt, that it happened before, and she knew she wasn't supposed to do that. Ms. Yax stated that she told Child A that it is not appropriate to show our body's, that your body is private and that she is not to show it or let anyone to touch her body. 3 I also spoke with the church secretary Kristen Smith. Ms. Smith stated that she was told by Child Care Staff Member Krista Seelhoff about what happened. She stated that Child A never really would tell her exactly what happened, she seemed embarrassed about it. So, she just talked to her about what it means to be appropriate with her body and her friends. On 09/24/21, I conducted a follow-up phone call with Program Director, Keri Eubank. I asked Ms. Eubank if she had file incident report. She stated that from what she was told she did not think she did not need to file an incident report because there was no physical contact between the children. On 10/11/2021, I spoke with Child B's Mother regarding the complaint. She stated that when she arrived to pick her son up, Child Care Staff Member, Krista Seelhoff told her that there was an incident with her son. She told her that her son and Child A were playing doctor and putting something on their heads. When she looked over, she saw Child A with her shirt lifted, she told her "No thank you" and took her to see Ms. Yax. Child B's Mother stated that when she talked to her son about it, he told her that Child A told him that they were going to play doctor then she pulled up her shirt, the staff member saw her and told her "No we don't do that". She stated that her son said that he did not tell her that he would not be friends with her if she didn't play doctor. She stated that her son also stated that he did not to

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R 400.8158 · 1 R 400.8158 Incident, accident, injury, illness, death, fire reporting. (2) A licensee, licensee designee, or program director shall report to the child's parent and the department, directly or via phone, fax, or email, within 24 hours of the occurrence of any of the following: (b) An incident involving an allegation of inappropriate contact.

There was no allegation of inappropriate contact between Child A and Child B reported to Program Director Keri Eubank; therefore, an incident report to child care licensing was not I reauired.

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