Karmactive StaffA mother in Hillsborough, New Jersey, is asking how her 4-year-old son died at his daycare. If you have a child in care, you may be wondering what you can check today. No findings have been released, but there are specific questions parents can put to a provider.
Shayna Robins says her four-year-old son, Yasmir, died on August 14 while in the care of Blooming Hearts Child Development Center in Hillsborough. She told Patch she received a call that he was unresponsive and found him "still sitting in a chair, limp and not breathing." She said she told staff to call 911. The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office told Patch the investigation remains ongoing and it could not provide further information. Robins is still waiting for findings. The center had not responded to Patch's request for comment when the report was published.
A state license sets minimum rules, but it does not tell you how a center would respond in an emergency, so ask. New Jersey's rules for child care centers require at least two staff members with current first aid and CPR certification to be in the center at all times when children are present. Ask how many staff in your child's building hold current certification, ask for the center's emergency procedures in writing, and read its latest inspection report, which New Jersey posts at childcarenj.gov.
Was This Tragedy Avoidable? How Parents and Facilities Can Prevent Daycare Emergencies
Whether this death was avoidable has not been determined. The prosecutor's office has released no findings, and no one outside the investigation can say what happened. Robins has asked: "Was every required emergency procedure followed?" She also asked why the center is still listed as licensed while she waits for answers. She said she is not asking anyone to harass, threaten or attack the daycare or its employees.
The state's rules also say first aid and CPR training must include a hands-on component, not only online coursework. Parents can ask when staff last completed it.
Robins' question about the center's licensed status points to a separate issue. Licensing status and the outcome of an investigation are different processes, which is an inference from how she described her situation, not a statement from the state.
Was this daycare tragedy avoidable, and how can such incidents be prevented? That is not known yet, because no findings have been released. To reduce risk in general, parents can check how many staff hold current first aid and CPR certification, ask for written emergency procedures, and read the center's inspection reports.
The Somerset County investigation continues, and no findings have been released. Check back for updates.
Parents can consult New Jersey’s child-care licensing requirements and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office for official information. Related Karmactive reporting has examined state safety investigations and institutional protocol breakdowns.
