Franklin Park police have closed their investigation of the Young Achiever’s Learning Center and will not be filing charges after a mother reported she found multiple bite marks and a bruise on her 16-month-old son last month after picking him up.
The Department of Children and Family Services is conducting a separate investigation into whether the case involved neglect. That investigation is ongoing, a DCFS spokesperson said Aug. 16.
Michael Witz, Franklin Park’s director of police, said Aug. 16 that the police department does not plan to take anyone into custody and said no criminal wrongdoing was found.
“It is our belief, based on the investigation, that it was a miscommunication on the part of staff, on who was supposed to do what,” he said.
There were no adults involved in the biting, which was reported on July 30, and the report involved a 3-year-old biting a younger child, Witz said, not elaborating further.
An official at the day care center on Aug. 17 said they would have no comment at this time.
Along with the investigation of the allegation of the incident, the DCFS licensing unit is also investigating the day care center, the department said earlier. DCFS investigations can take up to 30 days, with another 30 days added if another extension is needed, the spokesperson said.
DCFS previously said a child protection plan had been put in place, including modifications in staff supervision of children. There had been no prior violations at the center, the agency said.
Eliana Barrera, a Franklin Park resident, had said she was notified by the facility, located at 3044 Rose St., that her son, Jesus, was bitten while in the center’s care. According to the report, Barrera said she saw a large bruise on the right side of her son’s face, along with bruised bite marks on his right hand, left forearm, left side of his face and upper left back.
A worker at the child care center told police in their report that one of the bite marks was from another child, and that the bruising on the boy’s face was due to a fall he had earlier that day. She had told police she was unaware of additional bite marks.
According to the police report, the day care center worker told police that it was the center’s policy that “if the bite or markings do not break skin, they notify the parent at the end of the day.”
On Aug. 8, Barrera family members and supporters gathered in front of the day care center, carrying signs of protest and calling for the business to be closed.
