A licensed daycare provider in western Iowa was arrested this morning following an investigation into the death of a child at her facility.
Thirty-seven-year old Teresa Chapin, of Council Bluffs was arrested on felony neglect of a dependent person and child endangerment charges, stemming from an incident which took place on August 17th that resulted in the death of a five-month old child.
The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says Chapin operated Teresa’s Tiny Tots Day Care in Council Bluffs. During the afternoon of August 17th, deputies and emergency personnel were called to the home for a child that was not breathing.
The infant, Lane Thomas, was brought to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An investigation revealed the boy was put in an adult bed for a nap, after he had been fed his formula. Chapin’s daughter checked on the child, but did not verify that he was breathing. When the daughter went to wake the boy from his nap about 90-minutes later he was laying face down, cold to the touch, and unresponsive.
Teresa Chapin then initiated CPR and called 9-1-1. An autopsy at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny was unable to determine the cause of death, which was deemed a “Sudden Unexplained Infant Death event.” Officials say evidence indicated Chapin displayed a level of negligence that contributed to the death of the child.
They say she should have been aware of the hazards of excessive bedding for an infant Lane Thomas’ age.
By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic