GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) — A two-year-old child at a daycare was left outside and unattended for nearly five hours, police said.
Gahanna police reported that officers responded to Little Lambs Children Center at Shepherd Church of the Nazarene late last week after a call from a mother who said her child had been left outside on the playground without supervision.
According to the police report, footage from an outside playground camera shows the following:
- At 9:05 a.m., two supervisors were seen walking a group of children onto the playground.
- At 9:09 a.m., one of the supervisors was replaced with a fill-in.
- At 9:19 a.m., another child entered the playground and was logged into the school’s tracking system.
- At 9:24 a.m., all children were lined up by the entrance to be counted by the supervisors. With one supervisor leading the children inside, the fill-in held the door open. The child walked behind the fill-in supervisor and back out into the playground. The fill-in supervisor appeared to turn and look at the playground but did not notice the child.
- At 9:37 a.m., the child took off their coat and set it on a table. They were then observed playing for a while longer before seeking shelter in a plastic playhouse.
- At 2:05 p.m., a school official found the child.
Based on the times observed in the video, the child was left unattended for 4 hours and 41 minutes.
The mother took the child to the emergency room to be assessed, where there were found to be no health issues stemming from the incident.
The mother told NBC4 that the school had not reached out since the evening of the incident. She said that teachers and staff members have been advised against speaking to her. NBC4 does not typically identify victims of potential crimes or their family members without their consent.
Since the incident, Little Lambs’ website has been made private. Shepherd Church of the Nazarene Lead Pastor Rob Paugh sent NBC4 a statement regarding the incident.
“Little Lambs Children’s Center is committed to providing a safe environment for the children entrusted in our care,” Paugh said. “Our prayers and deepest apologies are with the child and family who were impacted by a recent incident. We are fully cooperating with all applicable city, county and state authorities investigating the matter and will comply with their directives.
“Additionally, we are undertaking an internal investigation and will take any necessary corrective steps and provide additional staff training as needed in accordance with our policies and procedures. We are committed to rebuilding the trust of our community that reflects the values and quality care that we have provided for decades.”
As of Tuesday night, charges have not been filed from the incident.