Incident investigation·December 4, 2025

On 12/04/2025, Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Lisa Clayton conducted an unannounced visit to the Light of Knowledge Child Care Center, to follow up on the Unusual Incident reported to the Department on 10/10/2025. LPA Clayton inspected the CCC inside and outside for Health and Safety and observed 8 children being supervised and cared for appropriately by 2 fingerprint cleared staff. DETAILS: On 10/3/2025, director Rafeda Shamsa was told by teacher Salwa Awad that child Willow Lopez bit her. Teacher visited doctor and received antibiotics for the bite wound. Director contacted the parents regarding the incident. Center director was instructed by a CDSS Licensing program analyst to report this incident after the department’s visit regarding a complain visit conducted on 10/8/2025. Parents have not responded to the director’s follow up calls regarding the incident at this point. On 10/09/2025, LPA Clayton interviewed the child’s parent and staff, and it was reported and confirmed that teacher S1 received a bite to her left forearm from C1, which required medical attention and medication. The incident was not reported to the parent or the department by the next working day as specified in the regulation and indicated on the Unusual Incident form LIC 624. On 10/09/2025, LPA Clayton reviewed the child’s file and the employees file, and there were no injury reports regarding a student to teacher bite which required medical attention in the employees file, and there is no report indicating that the student bit the teacher requiring medical attention for the staff in the student file. Based on LPA Clayton's record review and interviews with parent and staff, a Type B Deficiency is cited in accordance with Title 22 California Code of Regulations (see LIC 9099D). An exit interview was conducted, the report and Appeal Rights were reviewed and provided to Director Rafeda Shamsa.