A Kannapolis mother says her 2-year-old daughter came home from a Concord daycare with a large black eye and no explanation for how it happened, prompting her to pull the child from the center and file a complaint with state regulators. Sharandica Midcalf says her daughter Skailynn attends Learning Jungle in Concord, and that staff there could not tell her how the injury occurred.
Midcalf told Queen City News that Learning Jungle called her on Tuesday about a small bruise under Skailynn's eye, and that staff believed the injury may have occurred at home. But Midcalf disputes that account, saying a photo she took of her daughter the morning before drop-off showed no sign of injury. She said staff attempted to downplay the injury when she arrived to pick up Skailynn, and that no one on site could explain what happened because the toddler's teacher had already left for the day.
According to Midcalf, the daycare also could not explain why Skailynn's clean clothes had been changed by the time she picked her up. Midcalf, who has worked as a childcare worker for more than a decade, said she is just as confused as the daycare staff and needs answers of her own.
Hospital Visits and an Undocumented Injury
Midcalf said she took Skailynn to two different hospitals for examination following the incident. She said doctors in Charlotte determined that Skailynn had suffered an undocumented injury, and that the matter has since led to involvement from child protective services, per Midcalf's account to Queen City News.
Skailynn was diagnosed with autistic delays earlier this year, and Midcalf said her daughter is meeting her developmental milestones but is not yet able to articulate what happened to her. Midcalf also said Learning Jungle does not have cameras in its classrooms, leaving no footage to review.
State Complaint Filed, No Answers Yet
Midcalf said she filed a complaint with North Carolina's Division of Child Development and Early Education. The agency told Queen City News it is aware of concerns but cannot comment on investigations or possible investigations. Learning Jungle had not yet responded to Queen City News at the time of publication, though the daycare said a corporate representative would provide a statement.
For now, Midcalf said she will not return Skailynn to Learning Jungle. The Division of Child Development and Early Education says its representatives conduct annual unannounced visits to monitor child care centers' compliance with state requirements, according to the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education. The agency's own incident report form specifies it must be completed for any injury that results in a child receiving medical attention at a child care facility, per the same division's incident report form.
Part of a Broader Pattern in Cabarrus County
More than 213,000 children receive child care services in North Carolina each year, according to a North Carolina Office of the State Auditor performance audit. The scale of the state's child care system underscores why incidents like Skailynn's draw scrutiny from parents and regulators alike.
Midcalf's case also follows a separate report from earlier this fall. A September WCNC report described previous state violations at a Concord daycare, including child abuse, after a 3-year-old came home with a swollen face, citing inspection records showing multiple violations over the years. It was not established in that report whether the facility involved is the same one Midcalf has raised concerns about.
