State investigating Colorado Springs daycare following incident involving bleach

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- 13 Investigates has confirmed the state is currently investigating a Colorado Springs daycare facility after an incident involving a three-year-old preschooler and bleach. 

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) confirmed with 13 Investigates that they are investigating multiple potential licensing violations after an incident occurred at the Kid City USA daycare facility in the 5700 block of Constitution Avenue on Oct 17. 

Colorado Springs Police say a 911 call was made around 8:00 am to report a potential poisoning at the daycare facility. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived on scene to assist. 

An incident report filled out by a Kid City USA staff member and provided to 13 Investigates by the family of the preschooler says that “around 7:30 am, a teacher heard (child) crying in the bathroom. A 3-year-old seemed like he poured bleach on himself. He told the teacher that he drank water from his water bottle, and his mouth is hurting.” 

The Kid City USA staff member goes on to say they called EMS, called the parents, and the child went home with the parents. Under the category “Action taken on behalf of the injured”, the staff member says the teacher helped him throw up and spit out. The teacher also assisted in rinsing out the 3-year-old boy’s mouth. 

“Over the phone, I was told that they believe that he got into bleach,” Nicole Hawley, the mother of the 3-year-old boy told 13 Investigates. “He came out of the bathroom crying and his black uniform shirt was covered in bleach. And that he was saying his mouth hurt. They helped him throw up. They don't know how much he ingested.” 

The CDEC says their licensing investigation in the Kid City USA’s Constitution Avenue location includes, but is not limited to, allegations regarding lack of supervision, critical incident reporting, and hazardous items accessible to children.

13 Investigates reached out directly to Kid City USA’s daycare facility on Constitution Ave and the Kid City USA headquarters in Port Orange, Florida about the 911 call of a potential poisoning one day after the incident occurred. Neither responded to 13 Investigates questions. 

Two days after the incident and after 13 Investigates reached out for comment, the daycare facility’s owner, Ashely Amaya, sent an email to parents of students and children at Kid City USA on Constitution Ave. 13 Investigates obtained this email from Hawley and her husband. 

“Monday, 10/17, a preschooler gained access to a sanitation bottle and spilled the solution on his shirt. As a precaution, EMS was called to confirm no substances were ingested. The child was cleared as never having ingested anything. Unfortunately, KRDO is reporting a “potential poisoning” situation. Out of respect for you as the families we serve, I felt that you be informed on the situation before it becomes a public issue. The safety and well being of the children within our care are not compromised in any way. As always, transparency of the state of our center is available to you. Please reach out to me directly via text or email if I can clarify anything for you at this time.” 

Ashley Amaya, Kid City USA

However, the Hawleys say the email sent to parents misrepresented what EMS said. 

“There was no he did or didn't drink bleach,” Taylor Hawley, the 3-year-old’s father, told 13 Investigates. “The paramedics did not confirm that. They, in fact, told us to monitor him for 48 hours for signs of vomiting, nausea, and things of that nature.” 

“So Incredibly frustrated because (Amaya) was not present when it happened,” Nicole Hawley said. “Ashley, just put a nice little spin on it. It does make the parents feel better about it, but that's not what happened. It was a lot more serious than she let on. Ashley addressed it with families but just with complete lies, just a blatant lie that our son was totally fine.” 

13 Investigates reached out to Kid City USA and Amaya requesting comment about the state investigation or the email sent out to parents. Neither responded to our requests. 

A spokesperson for American Medical Response (AMR) said they are working to provide information pertaining to the Oct 17 incident at Kid City USA in Colorado Springs to 13 Investigates on Monday. We have not heard from them since.

However, the Hawleys provided 13 Investigates with AMR Colorado Springs/El Paso County documentation about the incident.

"Supervisor of the facility found male presenting with bleach stains on his shirt and was concerned that male ingested bleach. Male denied ingesting bleach and stated that he only sprayed the liquid," the narrative from AMR stated.

13 Investigates reviewed the findings of two state inspections conducted in 2022 at the Kid City USA on Constitution. In January, the state found Kid City USA on Constitution Avenue violated state regulations by not ensuring that a qualified classroom teacher was supervising a child. 

State regulators cited the daycare in April for failing to ensure that areas accessible to children under three were free of choke or inhalation hazards. 

Inspectors ordered the daycare to immediately correct both violations after being cited.

The Hawleys say they weren’t aware of any state investigation into the children’s daycare facility until after the Oct 17 incident. 

“After hearing about the multiple investigations, we felt very betrayed. We had no idea any of this was happening. Had we known about the lack of supervision, vision, investigation, about the other DHS investigations, we would have changed our child care situation.”

“Had this happened to someone else, we would absolutely want to know the whole truth,” Taylor Hawley said. “The exact truth of what happened, so we can make the determination of what's best for our kids.” 

Nicole and Taylor say their son is in good health as they continue to monitor him. However, their 3-year-old hasn’t forgotten what occurred. 

“We've been down in our playroom the past few days, and he has reenacted it completely unprompted,” Nicole said. “Easily ten times where he has his stuffy, his favorite stuffed animal, and he brings them up to me and says, Mommy, mommy, stuffy, he needs a doctor, stuffy he's sick. I say, Oh, no, what happened? Because, you know, playing doctor is nothing new. Until he tells me stuffy drink the bleach mom.”