3 months ago
Update: The Department of Children and Families has issued a fine and probation in the case. The facility must pay a $1,000 fine and the facility's child care license is on probation for six months starting October 1st. During that time all staff members must complete training related to reporting abuse and neglect.
Here's the original story:
Lakeland, Florida - A Lakeland day care teacher accused of cursing out kids, taping the mouth of a one-year old shut and locking another child in a closet has lost her job. Wednesday DCF released a report on the findings of its own investigation and handed down sanctions.
DCF's newly released report was hand delivered to Sherrian Strong of Color's R Us Child Development Center. It reads "During the inspection, it was determined that a staff member had placed tape over a toddler's mouth and during another incident the same staff member placed another child in a closet."
"It was determined that you and your staff were aware of the incidents and failed to report the incidents to the Florida Abuse Hotline."
The day care must pay a $1,000 fine and the facility's child care license is now on probation until all staff members complete training on reporting abuse and neglect.
At one time or another Linda Mahoney has had six grandkids attending the child development center which is located at 1533 Kennedy Boulevard in Lakeland. She says "If you put your child in a licensed day care you would want to know they're being taken care of and they weren't being taken care of if somebody was doing that to them."
Mahoney's grandchildren used to attend the facility but not anymore. Not after the Department of Children and Families started looking into allegations that Audrey Smith, a teacher, hit a child in the mouth and put hot sauce in a child's mouth for misbehaving.
Smith is accused of taping a crying little girl's mouth shut from ear to ear with a wide strip of packing tape. The tape covered her nose too. Mahoney says "She did not want to come back to day care. When she arrived she started buckling backwards and crying and screaming not to stay."
Other teachers say they knew of the incidents involving Smith but the day care never notified DCF'S abuse hotline as the law requires them to.
The day care's director Sherrian Strong didn't want to talk on camera under the advice of her attorney but says "We continue to offer quality day care." She admits she brings her own grandkids to the facility. She's removed herself as the director appointing Gladys Medina in her place.
10 Connects has learned that DCF inspected the day care on June 2nd and found numerous violations according to a report. They found the air conditioning wasn't working. In the infant room with fans blowing the temperature was 83 degrees. Fire exit doors were jammed while bookshelves blocked other exits and the playground had safety issues.
Several parents say they have faith in the facility. Mishely Johnson's 3 year old daughter attends the day care. She says "I'm a very picky parent and I try to find the best quality for my child and I think it's a good day care."
Ozay Karanehnetoglu, also a mother, says "I like it here. My baby likes it here and it's important for me and I like the teachers and we don't have any problems and she will continue."
The teacher accused of child abuse or neglect and child discipline issues never completed the training she started back in 2005.
To read the official complaint, click here.
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