Brockton

Brockton Day Care Closes Indefinitely Amid Allegations of Abuse and Neglect

The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and the Department of Early Education and Care are investigating Well of Love DayCare Center in Brockton over concerns of suspected child abuse and non-compliance issues

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Well of Love DayCare Center in Brockton is shut down indefinitely after two Massachusetts agencies launched investigations over concerns of suspected child abuse and unspecified non-compliance issues.

The Department of Children and Families said it investigated after receiving reports of abuse and neglect at the day care. The agency said it concluded its investigation, but noted that the results are confidential.

The Department of Early Education and Care said it's also investigating the day care center over non-compliance issues.

The day care, which is located on Belmont Street, was shut down on April 7 over non-compliance issues, a week after parents said they reported suspected abuse and neglect to authorities. The facility opened in August 2018, according to state officials.

"She grabbed on my son, grabbed him by the arm, when he did not want to go and take a nap, dragged him by the arm, pulled on him," said Isa Lopes, whose 2-year-old son attended the day care.

She said she received a late-night phone call from a former employee at the day care who detailed what she witnessed at the facility and said she was so disturbed by it that she quit.

Lopes said the former employee, whose claims were corroborated by another concerned employee, also told her that the day care owner aggressively forced her son to drink cough syrup.

"She went to go grab his face and force-feed the medicine down his throat and my son spased backwards, and I guess all of the medicine that she had in her hand spilled all over his face," she said.

She also said that she was told that the owner sat on her son.

Lopes said she took her son to the hospital after learning about the abuse. The doctor who examined her son wrote in her report, "There is enough suspicion that a daycare worker assaulted your child."

The doctor also noted the she contacted DCF.

At least one other parent also reported the abuse to state agencies, Lopes said.

The owner of the day care could not be reached for comment.

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