Beavercreek police performed an initial assessment, but there will be no official investigation, said Capt. Eric Grile, a spokesman for the law enforcement agency.
“There is nothing that indicates any criminal activity,” he said. “There is nothing to suggest this is anything but a medical problem.”
Emergency personnel were dispatched to KinderCare Learning Center, on North Fairfield Road, around 10:30 a.m. for a report of a child not breathing on the playground.
“Witnesses told medics she was just sitting in the playground and she toppled over,” said Beavercreek Fire Department Battalion Chief Bryon Betsinger.
The child was taken to SOIN Medicial Center where she later died, according to the Greene County Coroner’s Office.
“We are heartbroken that a child passed away today after collapsing on the playground at our Beavercreek KinderCare Learning Center,” said Colleen Moran, a spokeswoman for the learning center. “We are looking into how this happened. From what we’ve learned so far, our staff promptly began performing CPR and called 9-1-1 … Our thoughts are with this child’s family and with all of our families and staff at the Beavercreek KinderCare.”
Arlene Esch,who picked up her 5-month-old son from the child care center Wednesday afternoon, said the staff was very emotional and somber.
“I just felt really horrible and awful,” she said. “How terrible.”
ODJFS is expected to launch an investigation within the next couple of days, said Benjamin Johnson, a spokesman for the agency. License specialists will review the day care facility’s operations to make sure it is in compliance with state regulations.
As required by the state, KinderCare notified ODJFS about the child’s death within 24 hours, Johnson said.
“We will launch an investigation shortly,” Johnson said. “We will be on site and we will review the center’s operations, policies and procedures to make sure they conform with state rules and regulations.”
Greene County Children Services, a division of Greene County Job and Family Services, is responsible for local reports of child abuse or neglect, and was also alerted to the child’s death.
“It was reported appropriately, but there were no allegations of abuse or neglect so we have no other involvement,” said Beth Rubin, the Greene County Job and Family Services director.
ODJFS routinely conducts an investigation under these circumstances.
“The fact that we’re investigating does not mean the center or any of the center employees did anything wrong,” he said.
The agency’s final report will be posted online.
If the center is out of compliance, it will be required to take actions to correct the problem. Depending on the severity of the violation, the center could be required to submit a detailed corrective action plan within 30 days.
“Obviously when something like this happens we act quickly,” Johnson said. “And the safety of the children at licensed child care centers is our first concern.”
Routinely the investigations are unannounced and the report is finalized within a week or two, Johnson said.
ODJFS records show KinderCare’s last inspection occurred in March. The center was determined to be “partially compliant” because of the following violations:
- A driver's current license was not on file;
- A driver did not annually update required transportation safety training;
- An employee did not complete required training in child development, health and safety, first aid, communicable disease, and child abuse recognition and prevention; and
- Required health and enrollment information for 25 percent of the children was not reviewed and annually updated by their parents or guardians.
Corrective action was taken on all violations according to agency records.
“Most people are partially compliant,” Johnson said. “There are some instances where a provider is fully compliant and they have zero violations, that’s actually pretty rare.”
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