I simply cannot imagine life without him>
Posted on 06/25/2003 11:22:28 AM PDT by FourPeas
Scalded, drowned baby was in tub for a nap Wednesday, June 25, 2003By Theresa D. Mcclellan
LOWELL -- The baby who died in a bathtub at a Lowell day-care center was placed in the empty tub for a nap because there was no other place to sleep, state investigators learned. Investigators determined the child suffered severe burns on her right leg and all 10 toes, according to a report by state investigators from Consumer and Industry Services. The state has closed the in-home child care center where 10-month-old Ashley Woern, daughter of Allen and Cathy Woern, died Thursday. The Kent County Sheriff's Department said it has not completed its investigation. Jim Sinnamon, director of consultation, training and child day care licensing with the Bureau of Family Services, a division of Consumer and Industry Services, said the child was found Thursday floating in a bathtub at the day-care center, operated by Debra K. Stickney, 52, of 3101 Kissing Rock Ave. in Lowell. Stickney's home has been licensed since 1987 for six children. She told licensing investigators she routinely cared for more than the six children she was licensed for, according to the state report. On June 19, she had 11 unrelated children in her home, the state report said. Sinnamon said he doesn't know why. "I don't know if people thought she was exceptionally good or what. There are a lot of providers in the area. Maybe there a lot of siblings; maybe it's price," he said On the day of Ashley's death, Stickney wrapped up the 10-month-old girl in a blanket and put her down for a nap in an empty bathtub at 12:05 p.m. Stickney placed another 1-year-old down for a nap in a crib. Both children were sleeping on the second floor of the home, Sinnamon said. Other children in the home were playing or napping. At 12:15 p.m. Stickney left the day-care home, leaving two caregivers, ages 17 and 28, in charge. Sinnamon said the two caregivers, whom he did not name, reported hearing the baby in the tub crying at 2:30 p.m., but no one checked on her, Sinnamon said. He said Stickney returned to the home at 2:45 p.m. and did not check on the upstairs children until 3:25 p.m., when she found Ashley floating dead in the bathtub. She had severe burns on her lower right leg and on the bottom of all ten toes, the report stated. "The child was napping for 3 1/2 hours, and within that time frame you would expect a provider to look in on a child. That did not happen," Sinnamon said. "All we know is that the child was put in a bathtub for a nap, and there weren't adequate checks. When they went to see the child, she was drowned," he said. Sinnamon speculated that a 10-month-old "could potentially turn on a faucet." "This is a new one for me, and we hear a lot. This is really sad. She was just 10 months old," he said. Neighbors of the child-care center declined to speak to the Press. Calls to the home were unanswered. Ashley's mother, Cathy Woern, said she is "just trying to heal" from the loss of her child. The baby's funeral was Monday at the Roth-Gerst Chapel in Lowell. The family's pastor, the Rev. Gordon Barry, said he told the family they live in a world where accidents happen. Barry said the family has a large circle of supportive friends. "I don't say it's any kind of judgment on the parent or a message from God to get their attention. We live in a world that is not perfect and accidents happen," he said. He said it is important for the family to "get through this so there is no guilt and second-guessing." Barry said he also called the day-care provider. "I don't know her, but wanted to check in with her," he said. "It's devastating for everybody. Everybody is hurting."
The Grand Rapids Press
Thanks for your post. It reads clearly how your right to pursue happiness is being infringed upon until this 'caregiver' is indicted. You would probably even forego many pleasures in life just to sit on the jury and hear the disturbing evidence in order to reaffirm your rights. Indeed, a person doesn't have to have scalded feet in order to be robbed of their right to pursue happiness.
By Brett Thomas
(Lowell, June 24, 2003, 11:40 p.m. ) Sources tell 24 Hour News 8 that the investigation shows the child was put down for a nap in a bathtub. Investigators have a working theory that the child woke up, tried to pull herself up, and may have turned the water on. The child was found floating in the tub last Thursday with severe burns to her right leg and all ten toes.
The license of Debra Stickney, the woman who runs the daycare is now suspended. According to the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, she had eleven children in her home day care on Kissing Rock Lane in Lowell. The home is only licensed for six children.
The Greater Grand Rapids Safe Kids Coalition says a tub should never be used for a bed. Bathtubs should only be used for their original intent. To take a bath. All children should be supervised by an adult anytime they are bathing.
If you want to know more about how to protect your children at home or at daycare, you can call (616) 391-SAFE. The Safe Kids Coalition has a video tape that will help you make sure your children are safe.
Good point.
Fingerprints on the hot water tap handle will tell the tale, Watson. 'Tis elementary.
Leaving your child in a place where they use tubs for beds!
The day care doesn't sound very caring to me.
I simply cannot imagine life without him>
If the child had been standing, the bottoms of the feet would have been less burned, as they would have been protected against the cooler surface of the bathtub. Focal burning on the bottoms of the toes does not fit with a bathtub scalding scenario.
(This is how child abusers get caught.....they make up stories that don't fit the injuries.)
(Hey! Is that a tag I see in his fingers? My oldest was a tag fanatic.)
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