Delaware News

Childcare provider convicted of endangering a toddler under her care

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Family | Date Posted: Tuesday, October 22, 2013



Two year-old found by commuter in the middle of busy Wilmington thoroughfare during rush hour

Wilmington – The Delaware Attorney General’s Office yesterday secured the conviction of the manager of a Wilmington daycare center after a toddler under her care wandered away unattended from the facility and onto a busy city street earlier this year.

“This defendant was responsible for the wellbeing of the children under her care and her negligence in failing to secure them safely inside could have resulted in serious injury or death if not for the quick thinking of a good Samaritan.” Attorney General Biden said.  “Fortunately, as a result of this criminal conviction she is prohibited from working in a facility that serves children.”

On March 21, 2013 a two year-old toddler enrolled at Early Foundations Preschool, located at 2511 West 4th Street, was found standing in the middle of 4th Street by a commuter during the morning rush hour.  The commuter secured the child, determined that the child was under the care of Early Foundations, returned the child to the Center, and took steps to notify the police.  The mother of the child learned of the incident later that day from an older sibling of the child and also reported it to the police.  A subsequent investigation led by Wilmington Police and including the Fire Marshall’s office and the Office of Child Care Licensing of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families revealed that neither the main exterior door nor an interior half-door of the facility could be property secured.  Investigators learned that employees had previously brought these malfunctions to the attention of Janet Fowler, the manager of the childcare center, on multiple occasions.  Fowler refused to replace the locks and instead instructed employees to use a pliers to attempt to secure the exterior door’s deadbolt and to lift the half-door to attempt to align the slide lock with the door jam.   These malfunctions led directly to the toddler’s ability to wander out of the facility and onto the busy street outside.

Fowler, age 48, of New Castle, was arrested by Wilmington Police on April 29 and charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, with each count representing a child who was present in the facility at the time of the offense.  Yesterday, following a trial in Family Court, Commissioner Mary Much found Fowler guilty of all counts, sentenced her to one year of probation and ordered her to pay a $300 fine.  As a result of the conviction, Fowler is barred from working in a facility that serves children during the term of her probation.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Phyllis Scully of the Attorney General’s Family Division.

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Childcare provider convicted of endangering a toddler under her care

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Family | Date Posted: Tuesday, October 22, 2013



Two year-old found by commuter in the middle of busy Wilmington thoroughfare during rush hour

Wilmington – The Delaware Attorney General’s Office yesterday secured the conviction of the manager of a Wilmington daycare center after a toddler under her care wandered away unattended from the facility and onto a busy city street earlier this year.

“This defendant was responsible for the wellbeing of the children under her care and her negligence in failing to secure them safely inside could have resulted in serious injury or death if not for the quick thinking of a good Samaritan.” Attorney General Biden said.  “Fortunately, as a result of this criminal conviction she is prohibited from working in a facility that serves children.”

On March 21, 2013 a two year-old toddler enrolled at Early Foundations Preschool, located at 2511 West 4th Street, was found standing in the middle of 4th Street by a commuter during the morning rush hour.  The commuter secured the child, determined that the child was under the care of Early Foundations, returned the child to the Center, and took steps to notify the police.  The mother of the child learned of the incident later that day from an older sibling of the child and also reported it to the police.  A subsequent investigation led by Wilmington Police and including the Fire Marshall’s office and the Office of Child Care Licensing of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families revealed that neither the main exterior door nor an interior half-door of the facility could be property secured.  Investigators learned that employees had previously brought these malfunctions to the attention of Janet Fowler, the manager of the childcare center, on multiple occasions.  Fowler refused to replace the locks and instead instructed employees to use a pliers to attempt to secure the exterior door’s deadbolt and to lift the half-door to attempt to align the slide lock with the door jam.   These malfunctions led directly to the toddler’s ability to wander out of the facility and onto the busy street outside.

Fowler, age 48, of New Castle, was arrested by Wilmington Police on April 29 and charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, with each count representing a child who was present in the facility at the time of the offense.  Yesterday, following a trial in Family Court, Commissioner Mary Much found Fowler guilty of all counts, sentenced her to one year of probation and ordered her to pay a $300 fine.  As a result of the conviction, Fowler is barred from working in a facility that serves children during the term of her probation.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Phyllis Scully of the Attorney General’s Family Division.

# # #

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.