DETROIT – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) Child Care Licensing Bureau (CCLB) has suspended the license of a child care center in Detroit after investigating several complaints of health concerns at the facility.
The suspension of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Care at Antioch Church of God in Christ at 16827 Appoline took effect at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
According to the center’s website, the day care center is the “sister school” of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Education Center Academy, which offers a K-8th curriculum.
Under the suspension, the center may not accept any new children for care and cannot run a child care facility at this address or another location.
This comes after the state received health and safety complaints about the center earlier this month.
On Jan. 17, the CCLB received a complaint alleging there wasn’t heat in the building and that children were going home cold.
Then, the following day, the department received additional information alleging an “obnoxious” smell was coming from the basement kitchen near the Great Start to Readiness Program (GSRP) classroom. It was also alleged that the building lacked cleaning supplies and hot water and that children were given unhealthy meals, along with spoiled milk and yogurt.
On Jan. 23 and 24 a CCLB consultant conducted investigations at the day care and found several issues.
There was no recall list, emergency procedures, crisis management plans or menus posted in approved child care areas.
The napping space for toddlers and infants was not pre-approved by the bureau, and two of the four crib mattresses were torn. The temperature inside the toddler room, when it was observed, was 80 degrees, but there was a draft in certain areas that created cold spots.
A similar issue was found in a classroom on the second floor as well, according to the suspension summary.
In that upstairs classroom, the consultant also said there was expired milk in the fridge, no cups for water, and that the water coming out of the standalone dispenser was yellow.
“During the onsite inspection, Ms. Trammer interviewed Child Care Staff Member (CCSM) 1. CCSM 1 stated that due to the water being yellow in color and having an odor she does not feel comfortable providing it to children,” according to the suspension summary. “She stated that the filters have not been changed on the unit this school year.”
In another classroom, more expired milk, along with rotten fruit and an “unknown liquified substance in a zip lock bag” was found inside the fridge. This allegedly caused a spoiled smell throughout the room.
Similarly, a worker in a third classroom reported that her room is located next to the heat plant room, which makes the temperature of the room too hot, causing milk to allegedly curdle before the children drink it. The worker said children have gotten sick because of this, and although this issue persists, it’s all she has to offer the kids when they are thirsty because there is allegedly not always access to water.
In addition to the children being served this spoiled milk, they have also allegedly been served raw chicken for lunch at times.
A staff member also reported that if they don’t purchase their own cleaning supplies, they won’t have any at the facility.
The consultant found similar issues throughout all of the classrooms that were observed, and found more problems with the basement kitchen, including:
- Milk that expired on Dec. 12, 2024
- Container of expired pineapples that was leaking
- Crates in freezer with “unidentifiable” items in plastic bags
- What appeared to be black mold under the sink, with live and dead bugs on the floor underneath it
When these findings were discussed with the licensee designee, she allegedly told the state consultant that they “hired people to clean and they do not do it.”
“Due to the serious nature of the above violations and the potential risk it represents to vulnerable children in Licensee’s care, emergency action must be taken to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the children in care at this licensed child care home,” according to the suspension summary. “Therefore, the provision of MCL 24.292 of the Administrative Procedures Act of 1969, as amended, is invoked.”
The center is responsible for notifying parents and guardians that they can no longer provide care for their children.
A hearing is being scheduled before an administrative law judge. According to the suspension summary, the licensee has seven days to submit an appeal and notify the department if they want to attend the hearing.
Order of Summary Suspension by snpowers on Scribd
