There's a list not commonly known to the public that parents need to check before hiring someone to care for their children.
It's called the Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry.
In Kansas, more than 34,000 people are on it.
It prevents people deemed a danger to children, from operating a licensed day care or becoming a foster parent.
The 41 Action News Investigators discovered the list while reading through hundreds of inspection reports on day cares.
It was found that several day care owners lost their licenses and were added to the list after cases of abuse and, or neglect, were substantiated by Kansas Department for Children and Families.
In the past three years, the inspection reports revealed some of that abuse.
In one incident, an 8-month-old's face was bruised after the person caring for the infant held her hand over the babies mouth to keep the child from crying.
There was also a case of a 3-year-old being locked in a dark bathroom as punishment for crying.
While reading through another report, a day care owner was observed by a state inspector holding down a child's arms and force feeding him/her.
The people involved in those incidents were never charged criminally, which means, there would be no record of any wrong doing if a parent were to run a criminal background check on them.
While the list prevents these types of caregivers from running a licensed day care, it doesn't stop them from running an unlicensed day care, or babysitting.
In 2013, Misty Durham dropped off her 5-month-old at an in-home day care near Topeka.
"Right after lunch I got a call that Caleb was unresponsive and at the hospital," Durham said. "I was able to hold him for about 45 minutes before they pronounced him dead."
Caleb was not laid down in a crib for his nap. Instead, he was laid down in a dog bed where he suffocated.
The day care provider wasn't even at the home. She left Caleb in another person's care.
"I trusted her with my son and I feel like she did not do any part of her job," Durham said.
Durham pushed for criminal charges to be filed against the provider but it never happened.
Instead, DCF found her negligent in Caleb's death.
While it can't be confirmed that the day care provider in question is on the registry, because the list isn't public, it is known that her license was revoked.
The 41 Action News Investigators spoke with Phyllis Gilmore, secretary of DCF, to find out why the list isn't public. She said it's because of confidentiality involving the children.
However, Gilmore said parents can find out if someone is on the list by getting that person's written permission. All they have to do is have the person they're wanting to hire sign a release of information form. The parent then sends the form, along with 10 dollars, to DCF.
The agency then informs the parent if the person in question is on the registry and why.
If a person is hesitant to sign the form, Gilmore suggests not hiring them.
When it comes to adding someone to the list, Gilmore said the state conducts a thorough investigation.
"The investigators go out and review and write the report and together in the region they decide whether or not to substantiate for abuse and neglect," Gilmore said.
As for Durham, the list is a form of justice for Caleb, knowing it helps protect other children from neglectful care givers.
"My child's gone. I don't want these people to hurt anybody else's child every again."
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Jessica McMaster can be reached at jessica.mcmaster@kshb.com.
