Incident investigation·October 26, 2023

Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Anomeh Eivazian and Suzana Safaryan conducted an unannounced case management inspection on 10/26/23 due to an incident that occurred on Tuesday, 10/24/23. LPAs arrived at the facility at 9:20 AM and met with Sharon Lee, licensee who guided analysts on a tour of the facility. During this inspection 38 children were present in the facility. Alleged Incident took place on 10/24/23. Incident was reported via email next working day. Original LIC 624 Unusual Incident/Injury Report form was received by the Department within 7 days. The written incident report was received by email on Wednesday, 10/25/23. The facility reported the incident within the required 24 hour time frame. LPA Eivazian conducted interviews with five staff. LPA Eivazian conducted a phone interview with child#1 parent during this inspection. LPA obtained a copy of email communication that parent#1 had with female individual who found child#1 on 10/24/23. LPA obtained copies of 10/24/23 sing in/out sheets and staff#3 clock in and clock out sheet. Per staff#1 and staff#2, 10/24/23 was the first day of school for child#1. Per staff#1 and staff#2, on 10/24/23 there were 15 children present in the classroom A. Per staff #1 and staff#2, on 10/24/23, from morning till 12:00 PM, only staff#1 and staff#2 were present in the classroom with 15 children. At approximately 12:00 PM staff#3 came to the classroom A. Per staff#1 and staff#2, Child#1 was observed in the classroom and during outdoor playtime. Child#1 classroom played outdoor on the playground from 11:00 AM to approximately 11:55 AM-12:00PM. Per staff#2, she did the head count on 10/24/23 during classroom transition from outside to inside before lunch and she counted 15 children. Per staff#1 and staff#2, they came inside the classroom approximately at 12:00 PM. Per staff#1 and staff#2, once they came inside the classroom, children sat on the carpet, they were going to the bathroom to wash hands and getting ready to have lunch. Per staff#1 and staff#2, staff #1 was helping children to wash hands in the bathroom area and REPORT CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE 1 OF 4 staff#2 was setting the tables for lunch. Per staff#1 and staff#2, approximately at 12:05 PM, they noticed a female individual was banging on the classroom A backdoor which leads to the classroom balcony, faced towards the Honolulu Avenue. Staff#1 opened the door and noticed child#1 was with female individual who verified child#1 ran out from the school and was found on the sidewalk in front of the school drive way, close to the street. Per staff#1 and staff#2, female individual did not give child#1 to staff#1, staff#2, and staff#3 and asked to see the school director. Per staff#1, staff#2, and staff#3, female individual walked by the school drive way and entered the school from main gate and gave the child#1 to staff#4 and staff#5. Per five staff interviews, they did not observe how and when child#1 left the facility. Per staff interviews, they assume child#1 mostly left the classroom by the Room A backdoor which leads to the balcony, school drive way and Honolulu Avenue. Per staff#3, she stared her day at 11:51 AM on 10/24/23. A copy of Staff#3, time sheet was obtained. Per staff#3, she walked inside the school through the gate which leads to the elementary side, walked to the staff room, clocked in, then went to Room A and put her stuff down and went to Room E to give staff#5 a lunch break. Shortly after her arrival to Room E, staff#4 asked staff#3 to go to Room A. Per staff#3, once she was walking in the yard from elementary school side to the Room A, approximately at 12:00 PM, staff#3 observed child#1 was standing by the sidewalk in the front of the drive way, and there was a car and she assumed child#1 was picked up. Per staff#3, once entered Room A, she heard female individual was banging on the Room A backdoor which is faced to the Honolulu street. Per staff #3, staff#1 opened the door and confirmed child#1 belongs to the school but female individual did not give child#1 to staff#1 and staff#3, walked through the drive way to main preschool gate and handed the child#1 to staff#4 and staff#5. Based on a phone interview that was conducted with child#1 parent and email communication that was provided by female individual who found child#1 on 10/24/23 outside the school, on Tuesday 10/24/23 around 12:05 PM, female individual left her workplace which is 500 feet far from the school. Per female individual who found child#1, she noticed a gentleman was looking at child#1 standing on the sidewalk (less than a foot away from the street) on the driveway of the preschool, between two buildings. Per female individual email, she noticed child#1 was alone and crying, She watched child#1 for a moment and no one did come after child#1 and even child#1 was closer to the street, she pulled over and ran to the child#1. She got down on her knee and made sure child#1 was not injured, she picked up child#1 and walked up the driveway to the middle gate. She looked to find someone on the playground , no one was outside. Then walked to the gate lower on the driveway, with the gentleman, opened it and banged on the door. REPORT CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE 2 OF 4 Finally, two teachers came to the door without any knowledge of what was going on. Per female individual email, she explained where she found child#1 and demanded to speak to the director. She walked with child#1 up the center driveway, met the director and a few teachers at the gate and one of the teacher took the child from her arms and walked child#1 back to the classroom. Based of LPAs observations, this facility has two main gates, one gate which is closer to the Honolulu Ave and Rosemont Ave, is elementary school entrance and exit. The other gate which is on Honolulu Ave, between Room A and B is preschool gate. Once enter the facility through the preschool gate, Room A is located on the rigth side of the preschool gate, approximately 15 feet away. Preschool gate is self closing gate that Parents enter a code and enter the facility. LPAs tested the preschool gate 7 times, once open the gate half way or more and let it go, it closed all the way and properly, but If open the preschool gate and hold on the handle and close it slowly, the gate will not be closed all the way and it will stay open. There is another gate in the Room A which faced to Honolulu Ave., once you open that Room A backdoor it leads to the balcony and there is a gate which leads to the preschool driveway and Honolulu street. Room A backdoor handle which leads to the balcony towards Honolulu Ave. and balcony gate handle which leads to the preschool driveway and Honolulu Ave. are accessible to the children and LPA's did not observe any safety latch or alarm on any of the doors. LPA's observed a hanging door bell in Room A backdoor and per staff#4 she added it after 10/24/23 incident. LPAs measured the distance from side gate which is located on the driveway to the sidewalk of the driveway of the school where child#1 was found by STANLY 100FEET measuring tape and it was 22 feet and distance from the sidewalk of the driveway of the school where child#1 was found to the main preschool gate was 55 feet. Based on five staff interviews, child#1 parent interview, child#1 left the facility on 10/24/23 anytime between 12:00 PM to 12:07-12:10 PM, teachers did not see how and exactly when and from which gate child#1 left the school. REPORT CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE 3 OF 4 Based on LPAs observations and interviews which were conducted and record reviews, the preponderance of evidence standard has been meet, therefore the above incident that occurred on 10/24/23 and child#1 was wondered away from facility is found to be Substantiated at this time. California Code of Regulations, 101229(a) (1)- - Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision --( a)The licensee shall provide care and supervision as necessary to meet the children's needs. (1) No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time, except as specified in Sections 101216.2(e)(1) and 101230(c)(1). Supervision shall include visual observation and 101223(a)(2)-- (a) The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (2) To be accorded safe, healthful and comfortable accommodations, furnishings and equipment to meet his/her needs are being cited on the attached LIC9099D. LPA Anomeh Eivazian informed licensee, Sharon Lee that this report dated 10/26/2023 documents 2 of Type A citations. Type A citations which shall be posted for 30 consecutive days as there is immediate risks to the health, safety, or personal rights of children in care. Also, LPA Anomeh Eivazian informed the licensee, Sharon Lee to provide a copy of this licensing report dated 10/26/2023 that documents 2 Type A citation to parents/guardians of all children currently enrolled by the next business day or the next day the children are in care, and to any newly enrolled parents/guardians for 12 months from the date of this report. A signed Acknowledgement of Receipt of Licensing Report (LIC 9224), or other written statement, must be placed in the child's file for verification. The Notice of Site Visit (LIC 9213) was given and must remain posted for 30 days. Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with the licensee, Sharon Lee at 4:05 p.m.. REPORT END 4 of 4