State Pulls License For Day Care Center In Longmont
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - A day care center in Longmont has closed as an investigation into child abuse claims gets underway.
Officials with the Colorado Department of Human Services said they are looking into a claim that someone at Scribbles Academy force fed a child.
Longmont Police Commander Jeff Satur said in July Children's Hospital notified police in Longmont that they had treated a 10-month-old boy who attended the day care. He had bruising in his mouth consistent with force feeding injuries.
Police in Longmont opened their investigation in conjunction with Boulder County officials. During the course of the investigation police discovered there had been another, similar incident in which a baby girl, about the same age, 10 months, had suffered bruising to her mouth consistent with force feeding injuries.
Police said Scribbles Academy did not report either incident.
Satur said both children made full recoveries from their injuries. Police have questioned many of the employees who work at Scribbles but have not yet made a conclusion on who is responsible for the alleged force feeding.
"There may be other parents that may have seen something similar and had a similar experience so we'd like to hear from them if they had injuries that they just couldn't explain," said Satur.
Parents of children who attended Scribbles are concerned.
"We were scared just thinking maybe something might have happened with our son," said Russ Robitaille, parent of Scribbles Academy student.
"I find it hard to comprehend as a mother that something would happen like this, especially with him being in that room," said Emily Boyd, parent of Scribbles Academy student.
The Boulder County District Attorney's office is also coordinating on the investigation. Satur expects there will be charges filed in the case once the suspect or suspects have been identified.
"It made us sick to our stomach but hopefully it's some kind of overreaction," said Robitaille.
State records show authorities checked into 11 complaints filed against Scribbles Academy since it opened in 1999. Of those 11 complaints the Colorado Department of Human Services determined three to be founded.
According to the center's website, it was licensed to care for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years old. It's located at 630 15th Avenue.
The license remains suspended as state continues its investigation.
