IWA For Sunday 060808

The Child Is In Question?

Hey folks,

It's Sunday. Time for the IWA. I saw this AP piece about a child killing a child in daycare. A seven year old alledgely threw a baby on the ground TWICE. The article questions if this seven year old should be charged, returned to her parents, or given to CPS. The AP version said "A Twenty year old day care worker," left the other children downstairs in the basement when she took another baby upstairs to change a diaper.

Who? Who is this daycare worker? Why did she leave the kids alone? Is SHE not the responsible one here? Why would the AP not name her? She is twenty. She is not a minor. They named the Victim.

But I found it. Hats off to By Michael Hasch TRIBUNE-REVIEW, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

A 10-month-old girl from Bloomfield died Friday after being thrown to the floor at least twice by a 7-year-old girl at a family-operated day care center in Garfield, city police said.

Marcia Poston, who was bleeding from the ears shortly after noon in the basement at Bray's Family Day Care on Dearborn Street, was taken to Children's Hospital in Oakland and died at 12:44 p.m., police and a spokesman for the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said.

An autopsy is scheduled today.

City police Lt. Daniel M. Herrmann said investigators are conferring with the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office and the county's Department of Children, Youth and Families to determine if charges are warranted and if the 7-year-old girl should be placed in a CYF facility.

Herrmann said Ashley Swann, 20, the daughter of day care operator Loretta Bray, was watching five children between the ages of 10 months and 7 years in the basement playroom.

Swann told police she took a 1-year-old to the first floor to change a diaper and a few minutes later heard a noise and returned to the basement.

She said she found Poston, who had been in a baby seat when she went upstairs, not breathing and lying on a love seat. She immediately called 911.

The 7-year-old girl, who was interviewed by an advocate from Children's Hospital, admitted "that she picked up the 10-month-old baby (and) threw her to the floor at least two times," Herrmann said.

The home is owned by the Bloomfield Garfield Corp. and leased to Bray, Herrmann said. It is registered as a Family Child Daycare Home and licensed by the state Department of Public Welfare to serve as many as six children, infant to 12 years old, Herrmann said.

Poston's cousin, Latosha Williams, 24, said she believes Swann was too young to be home alone with five children.

"Why was only one person left with five children. I think that's irresponsible. These people are being paid to take care of the children," said Williams. She said Poston's mother, Rhonda Moore, is a city schoolteacher, but school officials could not confirm that last night.

GREAT QUESTION. Another? Why did she then LEAVE the other 4 children alone?

Most neighbors spoke highly of Bray and said she has operated the day care center without problems for a number of years.

"A lot of local kids go down there. It's a well-run business. I've never seen any kids outside," said one neighbor, Chad E. Jenkins.

Why not?

He said Swann has experience working with children at the Eastminster Presbyterian Church Child Care Center in East Liberty.

"Ashley used to watch my daughter at the church," Jenkins said. "She was great. This is very traumatic, very shocking."

Yes it is. It is shocking that they want to put all the blame on this seven year old little girl, and none on this twenty year old that allowed this to happen.

Congratulations Ashley Swann, for either being more than extremely careless, or for purposely leaving the children alone for whatever reason, YOU killed this baby. YOU are responsible for this TRAGIC situation. YOU are the Idiot of the Week. This Daycare should be shut down. and Ashley Swann should NEVER be placed in a position of childcare again.
Peter

Sources:
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review- Girl, 7, kills baby at Garfield day care center, police say