OAK CREEK – More than a dozen people protested Thursday afternoon on Howell Avenue in Oak Creek outside the KinderCare daycare facility where an 11-month-old child was exposed to cocaine. Those present included parents Kimberly Hopson and James Staples – as well as their son Prince, who was held by his parents as they held up signs supporting him.
“He’s not the same baby,” Hopson said. “He’s changed.”
A former employee of the daycare, 24-year-old Passion Watson, has been arrested and charged with possession of cocaine. According to a criminal complaint, Watson admitted to investigators to using cocaine socially, but denied knowledge of a baggie of cocaine that was found inside of her backpack at the daycare center.
Hopson told WTMJ the visible protest, where people held up signs towards traffic on the busy road, was important to show that the community wants accountability from the daycare.
“Unfortunately the KinderCare is still open. I feel like they’re showing they don’t care about what happened to my son,” she said. “And if they don’t care, I’m going to get the community to help show that there’s people out here that care about what happened.”
The family had been keeping an eye on their son’s injuries since May 3 – after he came home with abrasions and later a black eye. On May 15, Hopson took her son to Children’s Hospital after he was vomiting and came home with blood and scratch marks on his buttocks.
A urine toxicology report indicated the presence of cocaine metabolites in Staples’ urine.
James Staples said not only has Prince not been back to KinderCare since May 15, but he is too scared to send his son back to any daycare facility right now.
“The pain and everything we feel, I just hope that it never happens to another child,” Staples said.
The Oak Creek KinderCare had previously been reported to the state for dozens of violations, including staff getting physical with children. Staples said he doesn’t want to spread fear about the idea of using daycares, but he does want parents to remain vigilant.
“Use your best judgment and if any red flags or signs appear, don’t disregard them,” he said.
Both parents vowed to continue to fight for justice, with family attorney B’Ivory LaMarr saying on Wednesday that he is seeking child neglect charges against Watson and a lawsuit against the daycare is not off the table. Hobson said that’s why she’s still speaking out about her family’s experiences.
“Everybody deserves to know what happened to him and justice needs to be served,” Hobson said.
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