It is every working parent’s nightmare to pick up a child who has been injured while at daycare. It’s even worse when you discover your child is suffering from second and third degree burns. This incident happened recently at Discovering Basics daycare in Hall County, Georgia. Police have now arrested Eddye Pittmon, 55, for child cruelty because of her “negligence and failure to seek treatment for the child.”
After a weeklong investigation, law enforcement authorities determined that Damon Gaddis, 16 months, had somehow suffered second and third degree burns on his stomach and left leg the day his mother picked him up on Friday, June 13, 2014. The child may have suffered with these burns for up to eight hours until his mother picked him up and rushed him to treatment. Pitmonn’s alibi, according to police investigators, was that the child had a severe allergic reaction to insect bites and she put an ointment on the area. Pittmon was arrested and is expected to have a bond hearing on Monday, June 23.
In the meantime, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, known as DECAL, has issued an Order for Intended Emergency Closure of Discovering Basics. The closure order was issued when DECAL discovered that children were in “imminent danger.” During inspection, the agency found multiple violations of rules involving the supervision of children at the facility.
The agency is now asking for parents who may be impacted by the emergency daycare closure to call 1-877-ALL GA KIDS for more information.
