A shuttered day care in Wayne County is under investigation by state police for abusing children.
Just 4 Kids Daycare and Learning Center, 442 Cemetery Road, Hamlin, had its operating license suspended by the state Department of Public Welfare following an investigation conducted from March 18 to March 22 by the department. The suspension is pending the outcome of an appeal filed by day care owner Doreen Tomasetti.
The department investigated claims that staff at the daycare:
n Duct taped a child's hands and feet to keep him still.
n Held a child upside down to stop him from biting staff.
n Belted a child to a plastic chair when he misbehaved.
n Forced a child to walk around in soiled underwear as punishment.
n Made a child remain seated at a table for hours because he would not eat.
n Used a witch statue to scare children into behaving.
The report further elaborates that staff would scream and swear at and in front of children. It states that the violations listed demonstrate a "gross incompetence, negligence and misconduct in operating a facility" that is likely to threaten the health or lives of the children in the center.
As a result of the investigation, officials have forwarded their findings to state police at Honesdale.
Ms. Tomasetti denied all of the department's reports of abuse.
"They are all alleged, I am appealing it," Ms. Tomasetti said. "Other than that, I do not want to make any comment."
The center opened in 2006, most recently playing host to 12 children ranging from age 3 to 9, department spokeswoman Anne Bale said.
Ms. Bale said they were tipped off by a complaint, though she did not know who. Ms. Tomasetti said when a representative from the state came to visit the center, she knew someone had made an anonymous call, though she declined to elaborate further Wednesday night.
Ms. Tomasetti did say that one claim the department made holds water. At the time of the investigation, a representative saw an electrical outlet cover missing from an outlet on the back wall near a computer.
However, she said that was a slight oversight that would not affect the small children in the center.
"It was above five feet high," Ms. Tomasetti said. "No 3-year-old could have touched it."
Ms. Bale said that it was not immediately clear how department representatives "verified" the violations as it states they were in the order.
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