LAKEWOOD - A daycare center in Lakewood has been shut down after an investigation by the Department of Human Services found that a toddler was severely burned at the center.
A Child's View Preschool on South Wadsworth Boulevard is accused of leaving a Crock-Pot full of hot water in a 14-month-old boy's reach on Dec. 13. The boy was sitting on a high chair and spilled the hot water onto his body, severely burning his arms, legs and abdomen, according to the Department of Human Services.
The center contacted the toddler's parents instead of calling 911. The child's father came to the daycare and found his son screaming, according to a report by the Department of Human Services. When asked why the center did not call emergency responders, staff members reportedly said they "didn't know what to do."
The report states that the center relied on another child's parent, who is a nurse, to provide medical care until his father arrived.
The child underwent surgery for skin grafts and is likely facing long-term care requirements as a result of the burns, according to a family spokesperson.
A criminal investigation into potential child abuse is ongoing.
A Child's View Preschool has a history of incidents reported since 2013. The Department of Human Services was already investigating the preschool for medical neglect, after the center failed to report a child's head injury in June 2015.
The child's parents, Brittany and Danny Pendery, issued the following statement:
"When our son was burned, the center did not call 911. Instead, they called Brittany three separate times and never called Danny, who was literally across the street. We still don't know how long our son suffered before he received care.
Prior to placing our son at this center, we did all of the homework that any normal parent does. We toured the facility and looked for violations at the appropriate sites online. We were unaware of how hard it is to find violations, which is why we want to tell our story. We want other parents to dig deeper into their center's record, whether they are searching for a new center or they have been at a center for years. It's important to be diligent and to regularly look into a daycare center's government records.
We also want the other parents whose children were at A Child's View to know that we are sorry they have had to scramble for new daycare options, but this was not a minor burn. Our son has suffered tremendously and we are struggling to manage the financial, emotional and medical requirements of his care. Please keep him in your thoughts as he faces these injuries."
The family, along with the Department of Human Services, wants to remind other parents what to look for when researching a daycare.
These sites are helpful if you are researching a daycare.
If your center has violations listed, you may not be able to learn how minor or severe the violations were without asking the center itself and calling the Department of Human Services.
Some centers may not inform parents of violations. It is recommended to research your facility frequently to make sure they are up to standards.
(© 2015 KUSA)
