Nationwide — Kendra Small, an African American mother from Toledo, Ohio, is demanding answers after her 10-month-old daughter came home from child care with deep scratches and a black eye. She wants someone held accountable for the unexplained injuries.
Last Friday, Small picked up her daughter from a home-based child care program and was shocked by her condition. The baby had around 23 deep scratches, a black eye, and missing patches of skin. Small also noticed oil already applied to her daughter’s wounds.
“It looked like she got jumped. She’s 10 months old. She didn’t deserve that,” Small told WLBT. “She can’t protect herself. I know that my baby was crying for me.”
The child care provider, Emma Anderson, runs a program from a private home in Ohio. Inspection reports show a history of partial compliance with regulations. Small was told another child caused the scratches, but she doubts that explanation.
“My baby looks like she got tic-tac-toe across her head,” Small said.
After seeing her daughter’s injuries, Small took her to the hospital and reported the case to the police and children’s services. She said no one from the child care facility contacted her about the incident.
“Whether it was from a kid, a 10-year-old, adult. I don’t know, but she was attacked and nobody called me; she wanted her mom,” Small said.
The child care provider has not commented on the incident. Small says she won’t stop until she gets the full story and justice for her child.