Children Escape Facility's Play Yard in Two Separate Incidents
PRAIRIEVILLE, La. -- The Louisiana Department of Education today revoked the license of an early learning center in Ascension Parish after multiple instances of toddlers escaping the facility's play yard.
"We are thankful these young children are safe," said State Superintendent John White, "but we cannot ignore the recurring negligence displayed by this center."
The Department's Division of Licensing inspected Color Wheel Learning Center, located at 17273 Highway 44, on March 22 after receiving a report from the center that four 1-year-old children found their way out of the facility's play yard on March 19. A passerby spotted the children outside of the fence, near Highway 44, and returned them to the facility. Staff could not explain how the children were able to get out of the play yard.
This critical incident follows another in October 2018, in which a 1-year-old child opened the gate to the play yard and wandered to the facility's parking lot, before being noticed by a staff member who happened to be in the parking lot and taken inside. The center reported the incident, and the Department's licensing division followed up with an inspection of the facility.
Upon the conclusion of each inspection, the Department's licensing division cited the center for lack of supervision.
Color Wheel Learning Center (Highway 44) has 15 calendar days from receipt of the notice of revocation to appeal the Department's decision. Providers who have had their licenses revoked are ineligible to apply for licensure for two years. Operating a child care center without a license may result in an order to cease and desist, as well as an injunction from a court prohibiting the continued operation of a child care center without a license and placement on the statewide registry of individuals prohibited from operating a child care center.
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