A child threatened to kill my toddler at daycare

[Leniford]

On Friday, a 5 year old girl at my son's daycare threatened to kill him.  He is 17 months old.  I went to pick him up, and he was playing in the yard while this girl and 2 other kids around 6 or 7 were sitting in chairs outside in time outs.  I went inside to sign him out and get his things, and the daycare provider went inside to put cookies in a bag for him to take home. When I stepped back outside, another little girl said "She said something bad about ****, I mean REALLY BAD!"  So, the daycare provider stepped out just then and asked what was said, and the girl said "She said 'Wouldn't it be fun to kill him?'"  The daycare provider asked the 5 year old if she said that, and she said no.  She said "What I SAID was, 'Wouldn't it be fun to kill him with my hands'".  The daycare provider told her that she needed to stay in time out and think about what she said, and then proceeded to tell me that this girl (who has known behavioral issues and is in counseling) had locked a cat in a suitcase for 3 hours and it almost died.  I am pulling my son from this daycare, even though he LOVES her and loves it there, but can someone please tell me if or who I should report this to?  I feel that this girl was displaying predatory behavior and am afraid that she will target another baby, and I don't want anyone to get hurt.  I also don't know who any of the other parents are, to warn them.  Please, help!

[skepticalpeach]

I should also point out that no one was hurt, although what the other girl said was completely unacceptable. I wouldn't let fear stop you from using a day care. Do your research and keep a careful watch when you visit the school. I also would make surprise visits to the day care to see my daughter.

[lspark]

http://www.westparkdaycare.com/en/

[lspark]

This is one of the reasons why my wife is afraid to send our child to day care in Mississauga. She is also worried about him getting sick a lot. These articles are great for us to read and the comments are wonderful as well!

[margypops]

Well done you handled it exactly right in my opinion, and yes hopefully the other child will get some help...shows what we can do when we speak out ....thats great news .

[Leniford]

Thank you for your comments! I ended up calling Child Protective Services, who took a report to give to the home daycare licensor.  I also spoke to the daycare provider, who said that she was going to tell all of the parents ( I told her that if it happened to another kid there, I would want to know!)  I don't feel that there was anything that she could have done to prevent what happened, and I'm hoping that the report will help get this little girl the help she needs.  In the meantime, my baby is safe in another daycare.  

[Brooke050870]

I am so sorry, I just re-read your post and I see now that you do not know any of the other parents.  Is this an in-home day care?  I would think that any day care would be required to have a license with the county it is located in.  Maybe you could contact someone at the county level and they could point you in the right direction.  

[Brooke050870]

I am not sure who you would report this to.  I agree with Margypops that the day care provider should speak to the girl's parents.  In my opinion, the offending child should be the one who is removed from the day care.  Do you know any of the other parents of children who attend the day care?  I am not sure who you should report this to, but I think you should definitely make the other parents aware.  I know that I would want to know if my child was attending day care with a child who has the issues that this little girl apparently has.  

[margypops]

Sorry ended too soon, one other thought do you realise that if the other child hadnt told you it sounds like you wouldn't have known what the 5 year old said ..The preschool should speak to the parents ...

[margypops]

I agree with you ,it shows that something is not right at home and really in my opinion its up to the preschool to speak to the parents or remove the child from the school, she will say this to others.,if he likes the school its sad he is having to leave ,