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Day care closed indefinitely while deputies investigate possible neglect
They say a flag and hand sanitizer may have been used as punishment.
By ASHLEE CLARK
Published July 22, 2006
DUNEDIN - A day care center was being investigated for possible child neglect, Pinellas County sheriff's officials said Friday. The Sheriff's Office received a call Thursday about Toy Box Academy, 2680 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin, sheriff's spokesman Mac McMullen said. During their investigation, deputies learned of allegations that a rolled-up flag was used to strike a child or children in the head as a form of punishment, McMullen said. There were also allegations of employees "using hand sanitizer around the eyes to discipline children," McMullen said. He declined to elaborate on whether investigators had substantiated the allegations, whether any children were injured or how many children might have been involved. The day care's owner and employees could not be reached for comment Friday. The Sheriff's Office will send the case to the State Attorney's Office when the investigation is complete. Investigators from the Sheriff's Office's Child Protection Investigation Division were also working on the case. Child protection investigators asked that the director of the day care and a staff member not work as caretakers because of the nature of the investigation and its ongoing status, McMullen said. On Friday, a sign on the day care said it was closed because of the investigation. Ashlee Clark can be reached at aclark@sptimes.com or 727 445-4158.
[Last modified July 21, 2006, 22:44:59]
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