The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) has shut down an Indianapolis daycare after a one-year-old baby was left with severe head and face injuries.
Jesse Harris and his fiancée Tiffany Griffin are breathing a sigh of relief after their son, Baby Jesse, was released from the hospital this week. But they’re still searching for answers about what really happened to their little one.
After receiving a call from KiddieGarden Daycare letting her know that her son had been hurt, Griffin wasn’t prepared for what she would encounter when she rushed to pick him up.
“My son was in a high chair, screaming, busted, both his eyes busted, bruises all over, screaming,” she told WTHR.
The daycare told Griffin that a two year old was the cause of Baby Jesse’s extensive injuries, but his parents don’t believe that’s the case.
“It’s just suspect man, something is not right,” Harris said.
While authorities investigate what really happened, Baby Jesse’s parents are blaming themselves. Griffin told the local news she just placed him in daycare a month ago.
“It took me a year to get daycare and I just got daycare for him and this is what happens to him. He has not even been in day care a whole month,” she said.
Baby Jesse’s grandfather, who drove down to be with his grandchild, feels responsible, too. He encouraged Griffin to put the little one in daycare so she could have time to focus on her goals.
“I feel like it’s my fault,” Willie Williams said. “She didn’t want to do it. I forced her to do it because I wanted her to finish school and I didn’t want all these distractions.”
Williams said he suspects the daycare of neglecting Baby Jesse.
“It’s all neglect,” he said. “And I worked at a daycare. I was never five steps away from a child. If a child got scratched, I’m there.”
After a two night stay in the hospital, doctors have cleared the tot of any permanent damage. His parents are also thankful their normally happy baby is still in good spirits, despite his harrowing ordeal.
“He’s doing better, he’s actually back to his happy self,” his father said. “He’s been playing with his cars and moving around a lot. He is eating solid food now and doing a whole lot better.”