Cleveland news story..Baby was locked in daycare center...

[Tuffcookie]

There is no excuse for this, but if that had been my baby I would have broken a window to get to him!


Day Care Employees Fired After 7-Month-Old Locked Inside

POSTED: 3:16 pm EDT August 3, 2008
UPDATED: 12:25 pm EDT August 4, 2008


CLEVELAND -- Two day care employees were fired Monday after a 7-month-old boy was locked inside the building after closing on Friday.

Renee Heininger, vice president of human resources for Brightside Academy, released a statement saying that the situation that occurred was inexcusable.

She also said the two staff members fired were assigned to closing the center, but did not follow the proper procedures.

"Brightside academy is dedicated to the proper well-being of the children left in our daycare. When parents entrust their children to the care of Brightside Academy and its dedicated staff, it is one of the most important decisions they make as a parent and we have to work every day to earn their trust and respect," Heininger said in the statement.

Cleveland police said when the day care closed at 6:30 p.m. Friday, the doors were locked and the boy was still inside.

The child's mother said he was found in horrible conditions. She said it appeared he was left alone in the day care for about seven hours.

Officers called the day care's owner, who said she would send someone to open the door, but hours passed and no one came.

Police said when they called the owner back someone hung up on them twice.


"You would think this is a business that deals with children so as soon as you hear something about someone left in there, someone should have been rushing there to help," said father Eddie Humphrey.


The boy's parents are grateful he's OK, knowing he spent hours alone with no food or comfort.


TC

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

I don't get why the police didn't break in. Knowing there was an infant inside alone, I wouldn't have waited for someone to show up with a key!

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

Why didn't the police just break in instead of waiting for someone with a key?

 

[golfgal]

Why was she 7 hours late picking him up??

 

[lillygator]

um, what time did the parents realize he was still at the daycare and why did it take 7 hours? I would haev broken in.

 

[Angelhalo]

Where were the kid's parents? Did they not come to pick him up? How had he been locked in there for so long before they showed up? This story is sketchy.

 

[polineedyan]

the only thing that i can suggest at this point is that they closed up early? and that the police couldnt enter based on suspicion? I have no idea how this could happen..more will come, im sure..

 

[freckles and boo]

Something isn't right. The police didn't call a locksmith or smash in a door? I would consider this a rescue. The baby was alone for seven hours? HOW? Was the baby alone before the closing? Why didn't the mom show up before closing? When did the mom show up? When did she call the police? When my daughter was an infant she was in daycare a few months and I would have been charged $1/minute after six o'clock closing time. That is great motivation to get there ON TIME.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

There's more info in this story -

Two workers at the Brightside-Academy Day Care Center on Kinsman Road have been fired after leaving a seven-month-old at the facility for seven-hours on Friday night.

The facility's director, who did not want to be identified, tells Fox 8 News the staff members were let go today for not following the proper closing procedures.

Ebony Bridges dropped-off her son at Brightside Academy on Friday and thought a relative would pick up the child, but no one did.

After repeated attempts to reach someone at the day care, an employee arrived at the building at 1a.m. on Saturday morning to unlock the door.

"My baby was lying in the crib, cold lips, blue hands, pampers soaking wet," said Bridges.

Cleveland Police are in the process of interviewing employees to find out exactly who is responsible. So far no charges have been filed.

The day care released the following statement Monday:

The situation that occurred last Friday at the Brightside Day Care Center in Kinsman is inexcusable. We have terminated the two staff members who were assigned to closing the Center but did not follow the proper procedures. In addition Brightside management is on-site today to review all procedures in the Center with our staff. Brightside Academy is dedicated to the proper well-being of the children left in our care. When parents entrust their children to the care of the Brightside Academy and its dedicated staff, it is one of the most important decisions they make as a parent and we have to work every day to earn their trust and respect.

Renee M. Heininger
Vice President of Human Resources

 

[lillygator]

um and the mom never verified with the relative that the child was picked up? This is a 7 month old. Also, how did they lock up and not check all the cribs?

 

[polineedyan]

um and the mom never verified with the relative that the child was picked up? This is a 7 month old. Also, how did they lock up and not check all the cribs?

Theyre 'reviewing' that.. how about its monday and NO ONE has been charged?

 

[Cool-Beans]

I'm confused, too. I can see parents being late...it happens...but 7 hours late??

Or did the mom get there just a little late and find the whole place locked up?

If she did and called the cops, why did it take 7 hours to get the kid out?

There has to be more to this story.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

After repeated attempts to reach someone at the day care, an employee arrived at the building at 1a.m. on Saturday morning to unlock the door.

There's A LOT missing from this story.

 

[Stacerita]

So the mom "thought" a realtive was picking the child up? When she didn't see the child for 7 hours then did she realize that no one picked him up? Unbelieveable.

 

[ERMama]

i work third shift. IF someone else was responsible for picking up my child in the evening, you had better bet no matter how busy i am at work, im going to call and check on my baby.

what the daycare did was just wrong. but the mother wasnt real smart either.

 

[Cool-Beans]

...the mom never verified with the relative that the child was picked up?

I thought that, too.

I pick my niece up all the time and the first thing I do after strapping her into the car seat and getting in myself is call her mom and say, "I have her." I do it before we even pull out. And I'm thinking that if I didn't, she'd call me. But, maybe not. Maybe she'd just figure I had her and that was that.

I just assume that parents who can't be with their children at least want to know where the kids are...or at least that they're with the people they should be. So, I call. But there are all kinds of parents...and all kinds of people out there.

Maybe the mom is used to dropping her kid off with one set of people and having another set pick the child up. She just assumed things were going smoothly, like they always do.

I dunno. Sounds like a lot of folks dropped the ball where this child was concerned. Poor little thing, all alone in there, wondering where everyone was, needing to be changed and hungry.

 

[ChrizJen]

i work third shift. IF someone else was responsible for picking up my child in the evening, you had better bet no matter how busy i am at work, im going to call and check on my baby.

what the daycare did was just wrong. but the mother wasnt real smart either.

My thoughts exactly.
The daycare was neglegent, no doubt about it. I don't understand how the child ever ended up in a room alone in the first place. How long had he been alone before they locked the place up and forget he was there??

But most of all, if I entrusted someone else (even a family member) to pick up my infant child, I would most certainly call to make sure that everything went as planned. I can't believe it took until after midnight for the mother to realize her son hadn't been picked up!

 

[Angelhalo]

So the mom "thought" a realtive was picking the child up? When she didn't see the child for 7 hours then did she realize that no one picked him up? Unbelieveable.

Exactly. I don't think the workers are the only people who are a disgrace in this story

 

[MoniqueU]

It could of been that unbreakable glass windows. I know we have those at our school. If not I would of broken in and surely the police or fire department could of broken a door down.

Unbeilvable, I wish I was sitting on that jury when this goes to trial.

 

[Wishing on a star]

To those who are noticing that a LOT is missing from this story...

If they are on the ball, and are investigating.. authorities would NEVER release all details, where all involved would have all pertinant information... Many times they not only omit details, but release false or slightly fudged details, so this will end up incriminating the guilty party(S) red handed.

I am just soooo thankful that the baby seems to be okay!!!