KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Children's Lighthouse, a daycare in Olathe, had its operating license suspended after an investigation confirmed abusive behavior from employees toward children in its care.
The investigation, which was conducted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, found an assistant director failed to report suspected child abuse.
Management had been made aware of the behavior by a lead teacher, which included slamming children into chairs and pulling a child by their hair.
They also received reports that the same staff member was under the influence of marijuana, but also failed to report it, KDHE said in a report.
Investigators reviewed video from March 24, 2023, which showed the same staff member leaving a 2-year-old unattended.
The video later showed the child exiting the room and, when the assistant director returned the child, the staff member said the child "had snuck out."
Other concerns raised in KDHE 's investigation related to sanitary issues, including a staff member serving children a snack with their bare, unwashed hands.
KDHE suspended the Children's Lighthouse' license for the following infractions:
- Child Care Practices
- Failure to Report
- Inappropriate Discipline
- Lack of Supervision
- Sound Judgment
- Staff/Child Ratios Not Met
- Terms of License
In a statement to KSHB 41, Children's Lighthouse said it's taking the "situation seriously," among other things.
Below is the full statement.
At Children’s Lighthouse of Olathe, the safety and well-being of children remains our highest priority.
We are cooperating fully with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to appropriately address licensing requirements and provide the best possible environment for our school. We are open and operating, and we are fully committed to resolving this promptly and effectively.
As soon as we were aware of the incident that took place in March, we began our own internal investigation and partnered very closely with state licensing. Following this, again to ensure the safety of all children, we terminated the teacher.
There has always been a no tolerance policy as it relates to any type of mistreatment of children. We do not hesitate to take action with any of our teachers or staff when it comes to protecting our families. It is standard procedure for our school that we conduct a thorough background check on all teachers and staff. We also have processes in place to monitor staff activities throughout the day. All staff members have been meticulously trained on correct behavior guidance and the mandated reporting process.
We’re dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow, and our commitment to this will never waiver.
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