I need advise on what to do about Child Abuse in an In-home daycare?

Question

On April 24 I picked my child up from an in-home non-licensed daycare & he had 2nd degree burns to the top of his right hand. The lady couldnt explain how they got there nor did she call me when it happend. She treated it w/ vasaline (which is SO BAD for a burn) *improper first aid* The Memphis Department of Child Services stepped in & has found her guilty of lack of supervision but couldnt charge her w/ child abuse b/c none of the other children could step up & verify anything (all between the ages of 2-5) After that the state of Tn. stepped in b/c she was watching 9 children to 1 adult (one has severe disabilites) ... Well now she has appealed the case wich will go to Nashville to get reviewed. The DCS worker is really confident that she still will not be able to get her License. My question for yall is ... Do I need to be in Nashville for the appeal? I mean where do I start w/ this to make sure that she will not be able to EVER get a License?! PLEASE HELP & any info is GREATLY needed

Thank You

Kaylin

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Answer 1

Well to Nina, yes a femur bone can break in one of those saucer toys, but it doesn't mean EVERY baby's bone will break.  Perhaps you've wrongly excused her.

I'm sorry but just because she is a non-licensed daycare home doesn't mean they all are neglectful of the kids they watch.  Accidents happen. Yes, it is weird that she couldn't explain the burns, but don't knock the non-licensed daycares because of it!  Of course, I say this because both my kids stay at a non-licensed daycare home.  However, I checked her references, she showed me that she has a certificate in CPR and first aid, gave me a copy of her drivers license and a certificate that she has no violations, tickets, etc.  And don't tell me that oh they could be fake, blah, blah.  You have to make sure you are putting your child in good care.

To answer your question you need to ask the DCS worker if it is necessary to go to the appeal.  

Answer 2

I've been through something similar, however, I'm in Texas so the laws are probably different.  My 3 year old sons femur bone was broken while in home child care at the age of 7 months.  CPS investigated her (she had 3 children of her own) and Child care licensing investigated her.  CPS dropped their investigation but child care licensing found her guilty of neglect (she never would admit knowledge or guilt; but the doctor was able to give a time range of the incident by the x-ray) and she will never be able to watch children in this state again.  She was registered but not licensed.  You can talk to your local police department also.  A private investigator handled our case and sent it over to the DA's office.  Unfortunately, she blamed it on an article in a pediatric journal stating that an infants femur bone can be broken in an exersaucer (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cg... and said, "well, that's what must have happened", so the DA office threw out the case since there was (even slight) doubt they could win it.  Two doctors also testified that the break was consistant w/ her "it must have been the exersaucer" story (and 2 doctors disagreed).  HA!  I put my 5 month old in the same exersaucer, tells you how much I buy that story.  Anyway, I went on a rant, lol, sorry.  Good luck to you; I hope this person is never allowed to watch children again and I'm sorry for the suffering your family is going through.

Also... if she's watching children in her home and isn't registered or licensed, she could get in BIG trouble for that (at least in Texas).

I would probably be there for the appeal though.  I say that but not sure I really could do it.  I've never seen the lady that broke my sons leg but if I did, I would probably loose it (and I don't have a violent bone in my body, lol).

ETA:  I never once claimed all people who work in home child care are bad, I'm simply sharing my story.  Maybe I am wrongly accusing her, however, I will never know what happened that day and, either way, she should have been watching my son.

Don't let someone make you feel like you are wrongly accusing someone.  We don't get those gut feelings for no reason, even if we don't understand them.  If she couldn't explain the burn, she is at fault.  Yes, accidents do happen.  However, she should be able to explain any accident that may occur.  

I got that "gut feeling" 3-4 days prior.  Before that, I did my homework before taking my son to this lady and I felt 100% comfortable w/ him being in her care for the last 5 months.  Right before this happened, something told me that something was going on or something just wasn't right.  It was enough for me to go there 4-5 times a day to check on him and it was enough for me to make new arrangements.  However, I had 3 more days before those new arrangments kicked in.  I never could pin-point the cause of my gut feeling so I continued to take my son to this lady for the remainder of the week.  Obviously, not a good choice on my part.  But, like I said, I never could figure out where that bad vibe was coming from or why I was getting it.  Had I never got the bad vibe, I would believe 100% that the exersaucer was the cause.  My point... go w/ your gut instinct.  God gives it to us for a reason.

Answer 3

I would definitely be there for the appeal, any further input on her negligence will only assist with keeping her legally away from children.

Answer 4

Unlicensed day care - I would never use them.

Not happy with result go public, the lady doesn't deserve to be looking after kids!

Answer 5

OK...I live in Memphis...I would recommend you call ch.5 news or fox 13....scott maddus or someone...that's crazy!!!!!

make sure it gets on the news!!!!!! if you need more suggestions...my email is

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Answer 6

If the laws are anything like the one's I've studied in FL, she will never get her license, and you don't have to be there for that.  Something that might set your mind at ease is that you are not allowed to run a daycare unless you are licensed by the state (technically, although we all know people do), and that license needs to be clearly posted, which it obviously was not, because she never had one.  Becasue of this, she'll never get one.  They'd have taken it away just for not posting it.

Answer 7

Sounds like you knew this daycare was shady from the start.

Write a letter to the court of appeals and include pictures of the injury to your child. If you choose to go to Nashville, you will need to let the court know so that they know that you want to make a statement to the court.

Answer 8

You should not go and do anything on your own you could end up hurting the sttorney's case by butting in, do as they advise you!

I love the name Kaylin btw!

Answer 9

Why would you put your kid in that in home day care in the first place?without licenses?