By Scott Zahler, Attorney & David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
After the tragic death of two-year-old Jazmin Green, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning has drafted an emergency rule change. Green died after day care workers left her in a hot van for an extended amount of time after a field trip. It was alleged that the center’s owner, Marlo Fallings, her daughter Quantabia Hopkins and an assistant falsified transportation records in connection with the incident. The state closed down Marlos Magnificent Early Learning Center in Jonesboro and assigned monitors to make sure it remains closed.
A Department of Early Care and Learning spokeswoman that the Department is in the process of drafting an emergency rule to strengthen oversight of transporting children in Georgia day care centers. However, the spokeswoman did not specify what that “emergency change” might be. Aaron Diamant, an Investigative Reporter asked the Georgia Child Care Association Director for some insight. ‘I think that they’re just going to go back and really do due diligence and look at that process to see if there’s really anything in place that they can do to sure-guard about children’s safety and transportation to make sure that they are keeping children as safe as possible,’ said the Director, Carolyn Salvador. However, she noted that there are already several transportation procedures and safeguards in place for day care employees. Salvador said that it is crucial for day care providers to follow all transportation procedures to ensure child safety. For more information on this topic, see Agency May ‘Strengthen Oversight’ After Day Care Death.