Kindergartens and daycare centers should be the safest places for the little children, but sadly that’s not always the case. Stories of babies and toddlers left unattended is something we hear of way more often that we should.
The heartbreaking story of 6-month-old Zuri Rose Camara spread around like a wildfire after the owner of the daycare where she got injured refused to take responsibility of the incident.
That day seemed to be like any other as Zuri’s mom Anari Ormond dropped the baby at the J&A Nursery in Newark, New York. However, a couple of hours later Ormond got a call from the daycare center’s owner asking from her to come as soon as she could.
Ormond panicked as she had no idea what to expect. When she arrived at the center, the owner told her how Zuri was hurt because she was left “unattended around a 2-year-old boy.”
“She said in that time period of being unattended the boy ‘bit Zuri 3 times in the stomach,’” Ormond said.
Ormond didn’t want to listen to the bunch of excuses given by the owner and rushed inside to take Zuri.
“[The owner] began a story saying she went upstairs to get Neosporin and fell down the steps while holding my daughter and she was severely bruised,” the frustrated mother reported.
The sight of the little girl who was all covered in bruises and scratches was a horrifying one. Her face and body were swollen and it was obvious she was in pain.
“I was shocked and heartbroken,” Ormond told PEOPLE. “She was just sitting there. She wasn’t laughing or smiling.”
Ormond rushed Zuri to the St. Barnabas Hospital where she was told how the girl suffered a “mild concussion.”
“We went straight to the hospital. They did a CT scan of her head immediately just to make sure there was no head trauma. There was no internal bleeding,” she said.
Zuri was prescribed antibiotics but her bones were still very tiny for an X-ray to show whether she suffered any internal injuries.
“I felt so weak knowing that my baby is so helpless and couldn’t defend herself nor tell me what even happened. I’ve been feeling so defeated. I thought I was doing the best thing for her.”
The worried mother went to the police station to report the incident but the daycare owners didn’t cooperate. They offered many different stories that were away from the real truth.
Being aware of the impacts of the social media, Ormond took to Instagram to spread awareness of the neglect that takes place at centers where children should be taken care of.
Once the story took the attention of the wide public, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families released a statement to ABC7NY, saying:
“Our records do not show an operating license or registration for J&A Nursery in Newark. Please note that Family Child Care Homes are permitted to operate in New Jersey, without a license, if they are caring for five or fewer unrelated children. However, if programs wish to receive federal subsidies they’re required to voluntarily register with DCF and comply with applicable regulations. Providing care for more than five unrelated children requires a childcare center license, and operating without such a license may subject the operator to prosecution.”
Thankfully, Ormond’s efforts to clear the incident paid off as she got a message saying the place was closed and the owner was to appear at court.
The operator of the J&A Nursery, Lisa Muhammad, received citations for nuisances, failure to obtain a certificate of occupancy, failure to obtain a license, and failure to provide adequate doors for an exit. Her “nursery” which consisted of cribs and a playing area in her basement was closed in November.
At the moment, Ormond is doing her best to make criminal charges be filed against Muhammad.