A childcare facility in southern Utah is set to lose its license and must stop operations by December 4 following an incident where a child’s toes were severely injured by a lawnmower, as stated in a notice from the Utah Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).
On November 21, officials from DHHS notified Chandara Childcare LLC in Cedar City that its license would be revoked due to noncompliance with six state administrative regulations, one of which was designed to ensure the safety of children in their care.
A letter reveals that on Oct. 15, 14 children aged 18 months to 5 years were in attendance while a staff member operated an electric lawnmower in the daycare’s backyard.
“During this incident, a child was seriously injured, multiple toes were severed, and the child required emergency surgery,” the department said following an Oct. 18 inspection.
Authorities reported that the childcare facility breached a regulation mandating the secure storage of sharp items away from children and noted that the lawnmower was operated “in the presence of several children.”
The daycare received a citation for failing to uphold the requirement of “active supervision” for every child, as DHHS reported that a staff member was not providing adequate oversight while mowing the lawn.
Alongside failing to adhere to regulations concerning the lawnmower incident, DHHS indicated that the daycare neglected to notify parents in writing when a child sustained minor injuries in an accident.
An inspection by DHHS revealed that a single staff member was overseeing as many as 13 children during the day, surpassing the state’s mandated caregiver-to-child ratio of one for every eight children.
Furthermore, the daycare failed to provide appropriate sleeping arrangements for children, as several infants were reportedly left to sleep in baby bouncer chairs, which are clearly advised against by DHHS.
Chandara Childcare has been issued a 10-day deadline to submit the names and addresses of the parents for every child enrolled at the facility.