3-month-old girl dies at Stillwater day care

A 3-month-old girl died during nap time in a Stillwater day care facility that has had two recorded “safe sleep” compliance issues and one safe-sleep complaint.

The infant died Tuesday in Stillwater after staff at the Super Kids Learning Center, located in the 700 block of North Jardot Road in Stillwater, discovered her unresponsive about 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Stillwater Police Lt. Jeff Watts said.

“Any time you have an infant ... passes away in a day care facility, then we will do our due diligence to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure there is no criminal wrongdoing,” Watts said.

Watts said the infant had been put down for a nap. However, investigators have not yet been able to establish the timeline for the infant’s nap and when she was checked on. Staff discovered the infant had rolled over onto her stomach. Watts said this is when they discovered she was not breathing.

Oklahoma Department of Human Services employees noted during an Aug. 22 visit to Super Kids Learning Center that one staffer working in the infant room did not have safe-sleep training, according to DHS records. That visit was conducted as a result of a complaint.

In March 2015, DHS employees noted that an infant was sleeping in a bouncy seat rather than in the infant’s assigned crib, according to DHS records. That noncompliance was noted during a regular, periodic visit.

Al Hoch, a lawyer representing the day care center, declined to comment about the pending investigations.

“Their entire staff is devastated by the loss,” Hoch said. “Their thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time.”

Hoch said they will fully cooperate with the investigations.

DHS records state the day care’s director immediately corrected the Aug. 22 noncompliance issue by moving the untrained staffer to a classroom for older children.

The 3-month-old was dropped off at the center about 10 a.m. Tuesday. Staff told investigators that there were no indications that she was in distress, Watts said. He also

said there was no obvious external trauma.

Watts said staff performed CPR and called 911 when the infant was found.

Emergency responders transported the infant to a Stillwater hospital, where medical personnel pronounced her dead.

Police are investigating the infant’s death. However, there was no obvious information or evidence that the death was “nefarious or criminal,” Watts said. The state medical examiner’s office will determine the infant’s cause of death.

DHS employees have also opened an investigation into the infant’s death, DHS spokeswoman Casey White said.

“We really recommend that people who are either looking for child care or currently have child care, that they do check out the facility monitoring reports

that we have online,” White said.

White said parents are “welcome and encouraged” to bring any concerns or issues they have to the department’s attention by contacting their local DHS office.

DHS employees have noted 16 noncompliance issues at the center since March 2015. The noncompliance issues include food safety, staff and director certifications, fire and tornado drill documentation, and smoke and carbon monoxide detector documentation, according to DHS records.

The noncompliance issues included in the DHS’ records included plans for correction.

The day care center, which has the capacity for 150 children, serves infants, toddlers and children up to about 6 years old.