Aurora daycare investigated for child abuse allegations

AURORA, Colo. -- Working mother Ashely Carman was happy to see her 2-year old son, Jayce, elated to go to Creative Learning Academy.

“He was super excited about it -- loved it. Wanted to go and didn't want to leave,” said Carman.

But a week later, Carman’s son’s excitement changed.

“He would kick and scream as we pulled up to the daycare,” said Carman.

At first, Carman didn’t understand her son's behavior until she gave him a bath and found bruises on both of his arms.

“They were in the mark of a footprint and they were reddish-bluish,” said Carman.

Carman immediately took her son to the hospital. Records showed the marks were indeed bruises. Carman also noticed scratches on her son’s face.

When she asked a teacher at the daycare where the marks came from, she said the teacher said her son bumped his head.

Carman filed a police report against the daycare. In the report, the daycare denied any wrongdoing and claimed the bruises were already on the child.

A spokesperson with CDHS released a statement to Denver 7 Thursday regarding the case:  "The facility is currently under investigation by the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services. Due to the ongoing county investigation, and to protect the confidentiality of the child, we are unable to confirm if this is the same incident you inquired about. Questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the county. If the county investigation results in a finding, the Division of Early Care and Learning will review and determine what, if any, adverse licensing action should be taken."

Carman pulled her son out the daycare and filed a report with the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services.

“I put him there thinking he was going to be OK and he obviously wasn't,” said Carman.

Denver7 reached out to the daycare and the manager didn't want to speak on camera. He told Denver 7 off camera that Human Services did investigate the daycare and found no evidence linking any of the employees to the bruises.

A Colorado Department of Human Services background check revealed that a lack of supervision complaint was filed against the same daycare in the fall of last year and, as a result, the daycare was placed on probation for 6 months.