Saturday

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Child Abuse at Daycare Caught on Tape - Olney, PA
A Philadelphia daycare worker is under arrest after police say she beat a one-year-old boy. Investigators say the special victims unit received a report of possible abuse at a daycare Wednesday morning at around 11:00 a.m. The one-year-old was complaining of pain in his side and could hardly walk. His mother, Biana Lugo, took him to the hospital and staffers there called police. Investigators went to the daycare in the 5600 block of North 5th Street, and reviewed video tape. They say the tape shows that 32-year-old Serine Budd of Lawrence Street kicked, beat, and dragged the child, named Anthony. Budd was taken into custody and is charged with abusing a child. (continued)
Special Thanks to nc for Contributing this Article.

Baby Left Alone in Day Care Van Dies
Marcus Perkins last saw his 4-month-old son alive about 8:30 Thursday morning when the baby, snug in his car seat, was placed in the day care van that picked him up every day.
"I make sure he gets on that van safe every morning," Perkins, 28, said Thursday afternoon, surrounded by family. "I watch them strap him in safe every morning. I don't let him out of my sight 'til he's safe." The boy, Jalen Knox-Perkins, died Thursday, after he was left unattended in the van for about four hours outside Bumble Bee Learning Center, 3942 N. 76th St., according to an e-mail from Milwaukee police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz. Jalen was found about 1:50 p.m., Schwartz said.
Special Thanks to Miss Dee for Contributing this article.

Florida Babysitter Accused of Sleeping in Bathroom as Child Wandered Street
Authorities say a Treasure Coast woman fell asleep in the bathroom while a toddler she was supposed to be watching wandered the street. Port St. Lucie police say the 2-year-old boy was found on a canal bank Friday with two alligators in the water. When police searched the babysitter's home, officers say they found 26-year-old Brandy Lynn Albright asleep on the toilet. Officers also found an Oxycodone prescription bottle with 11 pills.
Special thanks to HCS for contributing this story.

13 comments:

xfileluv said...

Needless to say, that is extremely disturbing. I do give the owner credit for the way she handled it; however, she should have made it her policy to review those tapes randomly prior to a complaint being lodged.

Nana said...

Police in the Northern California city of Tracy arrested Melissa Huckaby early Saturday for suspicion of kidnapping and murder in the death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, CBS station KPIX-TV in San Francisco reported and police confirmed.

The 28-year-old Huckaby is a Sunday school teacher and the granddaughter of the pastor of Clover Road Baptist Church, which was searched by authorities for a second time Friday.

Huckaby's arrest comes after she was questioned by police detectives for several hours on Friday night. She had sent a text message telling KPIX that she was on the way to meet with police detectives.

At 2:25 a.m. Pacific time, police drove Huckaby out of their headquarters in an unmarked car, headed for jail. Sgt. Tony Sheneman then publicly announced the arrest at a 3 a.m. news conference.

Sandra's body was found inside a suitcase in an irrigation pond on April 6.

In a phone interview on Friday, Huckaby had told KPIX that Sandra visited her home March 27, the day she disappeared. Huckaby also said she had left a suitcase in the driveway that day, and that it was missing.

Huckaby is the granddaughter of Pastor Clifford Lawless, whose church was the subject of a police searches on Tuesday and Friday in connection with the girl's death. Huckaby also taught Sunday school at the church.

Huckaby was recently convicted for petty theft in San Joaquin County. According to court records, Huckaby claimed she was not mentally competent to stand trial. The judge ordered her to be examined by physicians.

Later, it was determined that she was competent and she pleaded guilty. Huckaby was also convicted in November of 2006 for petty theft at the Bellflower Superior Court in Los Angeles County.

ericsmom said...

I am sorry but I wouldn't keep my kids there. It mentioned one of the parents returned their child to the center.

It doesn't sound like the director is that involved. Didn't she get these people screened, fingerprinted? Backgrounds checks?

For more than one provider there to be abusing the children is absurd.

MissDee said...

EricsMom:

If you are talking about the story regarding the baby, Wisconsin daycare providers are required to complete or be in the process of completion of Early Childhood 1 and 2, Infant/Toddler, Shaken Baby Syndrome, SIDS, CPR/First Aid. Upon completion of the entry level courses, applicants are given 30 days to obtain a physical and TB test. The only other things that a owner or director must do is verify/check an applicant's criminal history and driving record.

The problem is that ANYBODY in WI can open a daycare, and ANYBODY in WI can work at one, depending on the education required by the owner. Not everyone is professionally, emotionally and morally qualified to own, operate, work in or provide childcare.

Remember the story of Sara Kladehall, who was found guilty of child abuse in Sun Prairie, WI? I work at the center where the abuse occured, however I didn't work with Sara. I will say that my owner, administrator and director are fabulous people who take every effort and measure to support us as staff members and teachers, as well as going above and beyond the call of duty as a center. Yes, there has been negativity about my center in the community, but we as a center have long standing relationships with families whose children have attended the center for many years, along with new families enrolling everyday. What happened to that child at the hands of Sara was unthinkable and unexpected, however, we as a center are growing with new enrollment and I love working with these people whom I see on a daily basis. They go out of their way for me, and I would go out of my way for them.

I just watched the video of Jalen's father speaking to the Fox 6 affiliate regarding his son. Do a Yahoo search about the story or a Fox 6 search and it should come up.

How many more time does this have to happen before someone gets their act together? This is the 3rd childcare center death of this kind in 4 years in Milwaukee-Asia Jones in 2005, Siearies Mc Henry Jr in July 2008, and now Jalen. The 2 recent deaths were that of infants who were 4 months of age. Perhaps Milwaukee County needs to tighten the process of getting licensure since the acts of this nature are caused by unprofessional, neglectful owners who hire individuals like themselves.

ericsmom said...

Yes, I am sorry. I thought the director was the owner of the daycare as well.

just another mommy said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
just another mommy said...

That second one is so very sad! I can't believe they didn't notice he wasn't there. I bet that daycare shuts down!

cali mom said...

These are horrible stories. Daycare workers beating babies? No excuse in the world for that.

On the topic of horrifying carelessness resulting in tragedy, here is an article from SFGate.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/11/state/n190531D25.DTL&tsp=1

serafina said...

Where did the toddler in the SF gate story come from? Unbelievable. No negligence? Where were the parents. This story is badly written, leaving way too many unasnwered questions.

ericsmom said...

oh geeze
the child that wandered off in Florida. And they found him near two alligators. How scary!!

Imagine, when the parents got the call from the authorities. Your babysitter was sleeping on the toilet. And oh yeah we found your son near some alligators.

Badger said...

that SF story that cali mom posted is just awful. Who would let an 18 month old run around at a car wash? I feel for the driver of that car, he or she is going to have to live with that for the rest of their life, and the parents or caregiver of that baby is going to have to live with their negligence as well.

Nanny Taxi said...

My nephew has autism. He is 6 years old. One morning while everyone was asleep he let himself out the door and was found wandering around the neighborhood in his bare feet and jammies. The police picked him up after they got a call from a neighbor. He told the police he was hungry and was going to McDonalds. Poor kid. My poor brother and my sister-in-law now has to deal with the Department of Social Services.
People like that nanny who fell asleep on the toilet make things so much harder on people like my brother who's child wandered due to a handicap. They now have alarms on all the doors.

Nanny Taxi said...

Oh, by the way my little nephew told his teacher he sleeps in a cage. He comes downstairs sometimes at night and goes to sleep in the dog's kennel. Imagine what holy hell that created since the teacher is mandated to report child abuse.