Cassandra Robinson received an unexpected call on Monday afternoon from the assistant director of the child learning facility.
The woman on the phone said, “I don’t know where to start.”
Robinson’s thoughts raced with questions as the woman continued to speak, followed by panic.
She clarified that she remembered my child being left on the bus that morning. Robinson was surprised to learn that her 2-year-old autistic daughter had been strapped into a child safety seat alone for around three hours in about 36-degree weather without a coat on the bus, which is owned and operated by Family Building Blocks in Aumsville.
Robinson told The Oregonian/OregonLive, “I couldn’t understand what she was saying to me.” I was astonished and incredulous. The fact that this was real life was unbelievable to me.
She said Robinson called the police to report the incident. She claimed that they assured her that they would investigate and discuss whether charges were appropriate with the district attorney.
The incident is being investigated, according to an email from Ron Harding, the city of Aumsville administrator.
The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, which is in charge of regulating child care programs in the state, may also launch an investigation as a result of the accusations.
According to the division’s head, Alicia Gardiner, “The Child Care Licensing Division takes all regulatory-related complaints and will respond to those complaints by making an unexpected on-site visit to investigate the allegation.” The Oregon Department of Human Services will conduct an investigation while maintaining constant contact with the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care in any cases involving possible child abuse or neglect, she continued.
According to Gardiner, the division has the authority to impose a variety of sanctions on verified claims, from a formal letter of noncompliance to the cancellation of a facility’s child care license.
According to her, the Department of Early Learning’s response to a facility is contingent upon the seriousness of the infraction and the facility’s prior violations.
If a child care facility disagrees with a decision, they can request a hearing. However, Gardiner stated that if the facility feels that children are in immediate danger, the department may suspend operations until the hearing is over.
Gardiner would to comment on whether Family Building Blocks was being looked into by the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care in connection with the incident involving Robinson’s daughter.
After picking up her daughter, Robinson said she took her to the doctor, who confirmed the girl looked healthy and showed no symptoms of hypothermia. She claimed, however, that her daughter seems less communicative than normal.
Robinson started to piece together what seemed to have happened when she talked to folks at Family Building Blocks. Her daughter, whose coat had been removed to make room for her child safety seat, was one of four kids on the bus that day. Additionally, there were two adults present: a driver who was expected to perform a last check before parking and getting off the bus, and a supervisor who was responsible for counting the kids and removing them from the bus.
However, it is still unclear how Robinson’s daughter could have been disregarded when there were only four kids to consider. It can be fatal to leave a child alone in a car during hot weather. According to the National Safety Council, every year, 37 children under the age of 15 pass away from heatstroke after being left in cars. In 2014, a 6-month-old child died in her father’s car at Intel in Oregon, and in 2018, a 1-year-old girl passed away in her mother’s stylish SUV. Neither parent faced legal action.
According to Robinson, the organization informed her that neither of the two Family Building Blocks employees in charge of the bus had remembered to account for Robinson’s daughter on Monday. The staff only found out about the girl after the first class period of the day had ended, at approximately noon, when they were preparing the bus to transport the students home.
According to Robinson, her daughter seems to be reliving the moments right after the staff discovered her on the bus.
She has been saying, “I’m so sorry,” while holding her animals and baby dolls. “I apologize,” Robinson replied.
In an emailed statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Patrice Altenhofen, executive director of Family Building Blocks, gave no information regarding the incident.
We understand the seriousness of the matter and the family’s worries,” Altenhofen stated. You may be sure that the safety and welfare of the kids we work with are at the heart of our purpose and direct everything we do.
According to documents from the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, the Family Building Blocks location in Aumsville had previously been the subject of two major noncompliance violations.
A licensing specialist discovered batteries, disinfectant wipes, and a container of Lysol spray in an unlocked cabinet in one of the classrooms on February 22, 2022. According to the documents, Family Building Blocks fixed the infraction.
A child was found unharmed after leaving a play area in May 2022, and Family Building Blocks self-reported that he had been out of sight and supervision for approximately two minutes. According to records, the Department of Early Learning and Care concluded that Family Building Blocks had fixed the problem and was now in compliance.
Crime, public safety, and local news are all topics covered by breaking news reporter Tatum Todd. You can contact them at 503-221-4313 or [email protected].
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