State reopens Albuquerque daycare after child runs from center through traffic
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s video that would make any parent’s stomach sink, a child running into one of Albuquerque’s busiest roads. A daycare center was shut down for allowing that very thing to happen.
A four-year-old child made a break across San Mateo, running through traffic. But where did that child come from? Turns out, it was the nearby La Petite Academy.
“Facilities are required to report any major health or safety incident to us as it happened so that we can intervene and make sure that children are safe,” said Sara Mickelson, Deputy Secretary for the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) for the state.
The ECECD was made aware of the incident back in March, the day it happened. One of the kids at the daycare had climbed the fence and took off running, staff giving chase.
The child ran past the Popeyes off San Mateo and Montgomery stopped at the road, looked both ways, and bolted across the street. The staff was right behind them eventually catching the child and slowly walked that child back.
It was because of this incident, the facility was shut down temporarily.
“Oftentimes programs are put on what is called a condition of operation, which is very much what it sounds like, which is conditions to make sure that they can still operate with either a temporary or permanent license,” Mickelson said.
This wasn’t the first incident at the facility. According to the state, teachers have been caught leaving kids unsupervised, and some children have run out the door, one even going next door where his father worked, and climbing into his truck.
In order for the facility to reopen, the state set requirements.
“We required them to put in a fence that measured six feet from really the outside of the playground that was not climbable by children. And that could not be, you know, that provided that last barrier to keep children safe.”
The state has also made the facility re-train its staff on proper child monitoring.
They say they are now in compliance and reopened on April 11.
“Our action has really been about giving La Petite the opportunity to correct their actions to make sure that all their staff from the top down are properly trained and supported”
KRQE News 13 reached out to La Petite, who directed us to their corporate office. KRQE News 13 has not heard back from them.
