A childcare center in southern Utah is set to lose its license and must stop operations by Dec. 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On November 21, officials from DHHS notified Chandara Childcare LLC in Cedar City that its license was revoked due to noncompliance with six state administrative rules, including one designed to ensure the safety of children in its care.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.
The department reported that a child sustained serious injuries, including severed toes, and needed emergency surgery after an inspection on October 18.
Authorities reported that the daycare breached a regulation mandating that sharp items be kept away from children and noted that the lawnmower was operated “in the presence of multiple children.”
The daycare received a citation for failing to provide proper supervision of each child, as DHHS noted that a staff member was not actively watching the children while mowing the lawn.
DHHS reported that the daycare not only failed to comply with regulations regarding the lawnmower incident but also did not notify parents in writing when a child sustained minor injuries in an accident.
An inspection by DHHS revealed that a single staff member was in charge of as many as 13 children during the day, surpassing the state’s mandated ratio of one caregiver for every eight children.
The daycare also did not provide proper sleeping arrangements for children, as several infants were found sleeping in baby bouncer chairs, which are clearly not recommended, according to DHHS.
Chandara Childcare has been instructed to submit the names and addresses of the parents for every child enrolled at the daycare within a 10-day timeframe.