South Lincoln child care center placed on probation by HHS

Mar. 23—A south Lincoln child care center has been placed on probation for leaving a toddler unsupervised on the playground for more than half an hour, according to Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services records.

The disciplinary probation for Bubbles & Blocks Child Development Center at 48th Street and Pioneers Boulevard started earlier this month and will continue until Sept. 2.

According to HHS records, Bubbles & Blocks' director self-reported the Nov. 16 incident the same day, saying staff had failed to do a head count of the children after leaving the playground and did not immediately realize a child was missing.

Video showed the 14-month-old outside alone for 38 minutes.

The girl's mother reported it to the state's Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline.

No one was criminally cited for the incident.

An HHS inspection compliance report about the incident said a child care inspection specialist spoke with the director and staff and determined they had violated their duty to adequately supervise the child.

"This was a devastating situation not only for my husband and I but for our daughter who thankfully was not physically injured or taken," the girl's mother told the Journal Star.

She said she was completely disappointed in Bubbles & Blocks not only for causing her child distress and putting her safety at risk, but also for the leadership's lack of response to her efforts to better understand what had happened.

Asked about the incident, owner Cory Quimby said: "No one was more disappointed with this situation than us. As soon as the teachers in this room realized that a child had been left on the playground alone they got her, reported it to the office and we self-reported it to DHHS and the child's parents."

He said everyone at Bubbles & Blocks strives to be the best they can be and immediately after the incident they put safeguards in place to ensure nothing like this happens again.

"We have been providing care for the Lincoln community for over 10 years and will always look for ways to grow and improve," Quimby said.

In December 2022, the same child care center had been investigated after a staff member posted a photo on Snapchat of two children in an empty trash can and allegedly told them their parents weren't coming to get them.

According to HHS records, the allegation was substantiated and led to a licensing agreement in February 2023 and a training.

Quimby said a staff member involved was written up and had to do an additional training but no longer is employed by Bubbles & Blocks.

"I think it's important for people to understand that we have never had an incident with any ill intent or malice," he said.

He said they have more than 150 employees who care for 450 kids every day and are a "locally owned, family-run business that takes our responsibility to the children, their families and the community very seriously."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.

On Twitter @LJSpilger

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