Incident investigation·May 28, 2024

Page 1 of 2 Licensing Program Analyst (LPA), Mahnaz (Nancy) Malek conducted an onsite case management inspection for the purpose of following up on the visit of 5/7/2024 regarding an incident that the facility self reported to our office on 5/1//2024. LPA met with director, Kathern De La Torre. Census was taken. There was a total of 23 infants and toddlers with 5 staff in 3 different classrooms. There were 8 toddlers with 2 staff in the toddler room, there were 10 napping toddlers with one staff in the 2nd toddler room, and there were 5 infants with 2 staff in infant room. According to the self-incident report, an allegation was reported to the facility management that a one-year-old child had red marks on the upper arms and it was also observed on the live video footage staff # 1 and staff # 2 picked up child # 1 by the upper arms. A review of the Facility Personnel Report Summary on this date indicates all facility who require caregiver background checks have received criminal record and child abuse index clearances or exemptions. On 5/7/2024 LPA interviewed the director and obtained information of the staffs’ names who worked in that specific room and mentioned dates and times. LPA requested to view the video footage for those mentioned moments. LPA, director, and District Manager reviewed few minutes of the video footage for that room dated 4/30/2024 as it had been reported to the facility. LPA found out staff # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were in the room with children on different timing on the dates of 4/29/2024 and 4/30/2024. Reporting party mentioned estimate time and date to the facility and the facility could pull the video camera footage out for those mentioned date and time. LPA was informed by reporting party of different dates and times of the day which was observed on the live video footage. LPA requested to view those dates and times. However, LPA was Continued on page 2 Page 2 of 2 notified by the facility that live video was no longer available due to time sensitivity. LPA interviewed the staff (total of 6 staff) who worked in the room for those mentioned days (April 29, and April 30). They all denied seeing red marks on the child’s arms. They stated child was wearing long sleeves and they did not check the child under his long sleeves shirt during diaper changing. They stated they did not observe the child fall or be injured. No staff acknowledged lifting the child by the upper arm. However, it was observed on the video footage in few times, staff were not following the best practices lifting children by waist or under the armpits. LPA observed in two occasions that staff # 1 and 2 were walking behind child # 1 while holding child’s both hands above the child’s head and not lifting the child. On those two occasions, the staff were walking from where child was sitting towards washing hands or diaper changing. LPA did not observe staff to be aggressive or do any behavior out of anger to the child. LPA did not observe any staff to touch the upper arms of the child in the video footage after nap, and during afternoon snack time. The director stated staff were retrained in the ways of how to move and lift children in a correct way. In the areas that were investigated today, no deficiency was observed of the California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 12 on this inspection. Notice of Site Visit was posted. The notice of site visit must be posted for 30 consecutive days. Failure to post will result in civil penalties of $100. The director, Kathern De La Torre was provided a copy of their appeal rights (LIC 9058 1/16) and their signature on this form acknowledges receipt of these rights. Exit interview was conducted with director, Kathern De La Torre. End of report.