Michigan Daycare Workers Stabbed Kids With Thumbtacks: State

SOUTHFIELD, MI — Michigan officials shut down an Oakland County daycare facility after it was found that staff were intentionally stabbing children with thumbtacks.

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has summarily suspended and issued a notice of intent to revoke the child care license of ABC Early Learning Center — operated by Brown Investment Group — in Southfield for violations related to appropriate care and supervision, staff suitability and accurately reporting incidents to the department, they announced Monday

A summary suspension is an emergency measure to protect public health, safety, and welfare, officials say. The summary suspension resulted from multiple complaint-based investigations conducted by LARA.

Here’s what they found during the investigations:

• On two different days, a staff member at the facility harmed two different children by hiding a thumbtack between their fingers and making physical contact with the children.
• The licensee failed to make a verbal or written report to LARA about the two incidents.
• Specifically, one of the incidents involved the employee hugging a child while placing a palm on the child’s back to press the thumbtack into the child’s shoulder.
• The licensee lied to a LARA consultant about their knowledge of this specific incident.
• The licensee was aware of the incident but failed to report it to the children’s parents or Children’s Protective Services.

The suspension went into effect March 6 for the child care center that operates at 29829 Telegraph Road, L-109, Southfield. Now the Brown Investment Group may not accept children for care after, state officials say.

The order also requires Brown Investment Group to inform all the parents of children in care that the license has been suspended and that the center can no longer provide child care.

A licensee has the right to appeal the suspension and revocation. This case is currently pending with the Michigan Administrative Hearing System (MAHS).