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A local daycare center already under intense scrutiny–after three employees were indicted this summer for allegedly abusing toddlers–is now the subject of a newly revealed incident involving a cleaning solution mistakenly poured into a classroom water pitcher and served to children.
The additional safety lapse at Bright Horizons’ Columbus Circle location, first reported by CBS News, has prompted city action, parent outrage, and renewed questions about conditions inside the 910 Eighth Avenue center, which sits between West 58th and 59th streets.
According to CBS News, a Bright Horizons staff member on Oct. 27 filled a classroom pitcher from what the company says was a dispenser containing a diluted cleaning solution — a mixture of water and a small amount of bleach used to sanitize toys. That water was then served to children during snack time. CBS reports that a teacher also drank from the pitcher, noticed something was off, and contacted poison control. The city’s Health Department later confirmed that the incident “exposed children to a toxic chemical” and ordered the preschool program to shut down indefinitely.
Parents told CBS they were not informed of the specifics. A Bright Horizons spokesperson told CBS the incident was a mistake and said “to portray it as more than that would be misleading.” The spokesperson also said medical attention was not necessary — contradicting at least one parent who later sought treatment for their child.
When CBS visited the facility in recent days, lights inside were off and a locked door went unanswered. Parents say they were instructed earlier this month to move to other Bright Horizons locations “for now.” Bright Horizons told CBS it has temporarily relocated classrooms of all age groups — despite the city’s order applying only to the preschool program — while it updates safety protocols. Some parents declined the transfer and instead found new childcare providers. The center is expected to appear at an administrative hearing where officials will determine whether the preschool program should be permanently closed.
The bleach-solution incident comes months after three former employees — Evelyn Vargas, 47; Latia Townes, 24; and Shakia Henley, 37 — were indicted on multiple counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and, in some cases, Assault, Attempted Assault, or Strangulation. As ILTUWS previously reported in July, prosecutors allege Vargas abused at least nine toddlers, including dragging children by their hair and arms, covering a toddler’s mouth and nose with packing tape, striking children with metal bottles, force-feeding concentrated ginger shots, and restraining children in chairs. Townes is accused of hitting children with bottles, shoving them, restraining them for extended periods, and verbally taunting them. Henley allegedly sprayed toddlers in the face with mixtures of soap and bleach diluted with water and kept them restrained. All three were fired before the Health Department received an initial complaint in February, which triggered the investigation. They have pleaded not guilty. At the time, a spokesperson for Bright Horizons said the company took “immediate action,” cooperated with authorities, and submitted a corrective action plan.
The Oct. 27 incident has deepened concerns among parents and early-childhood specialists. Erin O’Connor, director of NYU’s Early Childhood Education program, told CBS: “One of the most basic structural indicators is that you have things set up in a way that there’s no way a toxic material would be near a water supply for children. It gives me pause about how much was done in response to the first incident.” A parent interviewed by CBS questioned whether the company is prioritizing appearances over safety: “It just doesn’t feel like they have child safety in their best interest.”
The Health Department has required Bright Horizons to update its safety protocols. The outcome of the administrative hearing will determine the future of the center’s preschool program, while the criminal cases against the three former employees continue. Bright Horizons, which operates more than 1,000 childcare centers worldwide, maintains that “the safety and well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority.” Parents affected by the abuse allegations or the Oct. 27 incident may contact the Manhattan District Attorney’s Child Abuse Bureau at 212-335-4300.
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