Megan Miller lives in Olathe and has one dream in life: to work with children.
However, a list intended to keep children safe will prevent her from living out that dream.
It's called The Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry.
More than 34,000 people are on it, including Miller.
She among former day care owners and parents who the state investigated and substantiated claims for abuse, and or neglect.
Miller's mother, Sharon Miller, is fighting to have her daughter removed from the list.
"It saddens me. It makes me sick to think that she's on that type of a list," Sharon Miller said.
In 2012, Megan worked at a day care in Olathe. While she and two other workers were outside with a group of toddlers, 5 of the kids wandered from the playground. Two were found in the parking lot of the day care, the other three were found standing in a ditch.
Thankfully, none of the children were hurt.
Megan lost her job. Shortly after, she and her family were notified Megan was added to the registry.
The problem is, Megan's family says their daughter wasn't responsible for looking after the children.
Megan has brain damage from an illness she contracted as an infant.
While working at the day care, Megan was a teacher's aide. She was responsible for things like feeding, reading and playing with the children.
However, during the state's investigation, conducted by Kansas Department for Children and Families, Megan was listed as a teacher.
Sharon Miller says investigators never even spoke with her daughter. Sharon Miller also says Megan got the job through KDCF.
The two teachers who were responsible for the children on that day were on their phones, according to the investigation.
"They lumped her in with everybody without knowing anything," Sharon Miller said.
The 41 Action News investigators took the Millers' concerns to Phyllis Gilmore, secretary of DCF. Gilmore denied Megan Miller's request for expungement from the list. Still, Gilmore admits the registry could be flawed.
"I think it's a worthy debate: Is the list working properly?" Gilmore said. "It doesn't mean that at the conclusion of that debate that it wouldn't be-that it is."
Gilmore says she's open to suggestions on how to improve the list, but that ultimately it's up to state law makers to make any adjustments to the registry.
Sen. Rob Olson has sent a letter to both Gilmore and Gov. Sam Brownback requesting Megan Miller be removed from the list.
"I"m a sweet girl. I'm not a child abuser," Megan Miller said. "I'm good with kids. Kids love me. I love them."
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Jessica McMaster can be reached at jessica.mcmaster@kshb.com.
