Police shut down Pocatello daycare following abuse allegations - East Idaho News
DAYCARE INVESTIGATION

Police shut down Pocatello daycare following abuse allegations

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POCATELLO — A preschool and daycare center in Pocatello was abruptly shut down Thursday afternoon leaving parents with many questions.

Pocatello police officers responded to Stepping Stones Preschool and Childcare Center on Garrett Way around 2:30 p.m. to conduct “follow-up into an ongoing investigation,” according to a news release.

“Police…revoked Stepping Stones Preschool and Childcare Center’s City of Pocatello Childcare License,” the release says. “Parents of the children attending the daycare have been contacted and advised of the investigation.”

One of those parents contacted EastIdahoNews.com and said the investigation involves multiple claims of physical and verbal abuse by the staff against the kids.

“We received a call yesterday afternoon that we needed to come pick up our kids. When we arrived, there were multiple police officers in the lobby of the building and we were told there were multiple allegations of physical and verbal abuse,” the parent, who asked not to be identified, told EastIdahoNews.com. “The police said they had been investigating for a couple of months and were able to corroborate the complaints when they reviewed video footage of the daycare.”

Parents were informed that citations have been issued but officials have not released the names of those who have been cited.

The daycare passed its 2022 inspection by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in September, according to the Idaho Child Care Check website. There are no reports of any “substantiated incidents” which would include reports that a child care facility is not meeting requirements for safe and healthy child care.

Police say they have no further information to release.

EastIdahoNews.com visited Stepping Stones Preschool and Childcare Center Friday morning. The lights were on but nobody came to the door.

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