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The Utah Department of Health has put the West Jordan Child Center on a "conditional license," three months after a toddler suffocated under a bean bag chair.
The action comes after review of the circumstances surrounding the death of 2-year-old Leonardo Sanchez, the son of Dan and Danielle Sanchez, on Sept. 8.
Department spokesman Tom Hudachko said Thursday that the day care at 7195 S. Redwood Road will continue to operate, subject to unannounced but at least monthly child safety-related inspections.
"Based on the findings we have placed the center on a conditional license for one year, effective Dec. 1," Hudachko told The Tribune. "If we find areas for concern we can increase the frequency of inspections to twice monthly, or even weekly.
"Of course, we can also take actions or issue additional findings based on what we discover during these inspections," he added.
The center referred calls about the case to Pennsylvania-based spokeswoman Nicole Lasorda.
"The health and safety of the children in our care is our top priority. We have worked closely with the state and we are in the process of implementing the recommendations that have been suggested," she said. "We are working diligently to improve all of our procedures and to remain in good standing with the state."
Hudachko confirmed the center has been cooperative and has indicated it will not appeal. The facility has 30 days to file a Plan of Corrective Action to address the noted shortcomings.
West Jordan police and health inspectors reviewed video security camera recordings from the day the child died. The footage showed the boy playing with the bean bag chair, then crawling underneath it about noon the day of his death.
A staffer unknowingly sat on the bean bag. The boy was discovered under the chair, unconscious and not breathing, about 20 minutes after his initial disappearance.
Leonardo was rushed to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, where he was pronounced dead several hours later.
In its findings, UDH determined that the facility had not taken "all reasonable measures to protect the safety of children," specifically in relation to maintaining the right ratios for a mixed-age group of children and allowing Leonardo to be "out of sight of any caregiver for over 20 minutes."
The Sanchez family — which has reached a confidential, out-of-court settlement with the center — has a GoFundMe account (https://www.gofundme.com/2nyvq2s?ssid=731131111&pos=1 ) to defray its funeral and other costs stemming from Leonardo's death.
Twitter: @remims