BROOKLINE, MASS. (WHDH) - A daycare that was forced to close its Watertown location in September after an infant was found dead suddenly shut down its operation in Brookline last month, leaving parents on the hook for tuition that they had already paid.
Officers responding to Strawberry Child Care on Sept. 13 found an unresponsive 5-month-old girl. She was taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) suspended and revoked the company’s license to operate in Watertown after uncovering a series of regulatory violations, officials said.
After the EEC made it known that legal action would also be taken against the Brookline location, officials said Strawberry Child Care announced plans to cease operations on Dec. 27.
The Brookline location was said to be operating under an enrollment freeze imposed by the EEC at the time of their closure, which included a census of 16 children.
State workers have been assisting families to identify new child care providers in the Brookline area, according to the EEC.
The EEC said it does not regulate tuition payments.
Strawberry Child Care of Brookline had been previously cited for several regulatory non-compliances, including sanitation of child equipment, child hygiene, recordkeeping, enrollment in violation of a freeze, and failure to complete educator background checks.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)