Mom Says Midwest City Daycare Forgot Son on Bus

By Colleen Chen, News 9

MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma -- The Department of Human Services is looking into a complaint about Happy Times Daycare in Midwest City after a mom called for an investigation.

Rebecca Harris said daycare workers forgot her 4-year-old son on a bus after they were supposed to transport him to pre-kindergarten class.

"I'm lucky he didn't wake up and walk out on the main street. It's right there off of Air Depot," Harris said.

Happy Times Daycare is located at 405 S. Air Depot in Midwest City. She said the incident happened at the beginning of October.

"'Tajammal,' I said, 'what happened today? Why didn't you go to school?' He said 'I fell asleep,'" Harris said.

Tajammal Smith said he woke up and then went inside the daycare where he was fed a snack before workers called his mom to come pick him up.

"He goes to school at 1 p.m. and they didn't call me until 3:25 p.m.," she said.

DHS spokeswoman Lauri Monetti said investigators have interviewed both children and workers involved in the incident.

"A child being left in a vehicle would be a serious issue," Monetti said.

DHS said the daycare has been licensed since 1982. See DHS' record on Happy Times Daycare.

"We have not had any serious complaint issues with them in the last year," Monetti added.

If found to be at fault, the daycare could be requested to take action against personnel and submit a plan of correction. That's what Harris thinks should happen.

"I fear what could happen to the other kids who are not being supervised properly," Harris said.

The Midwest City mom said the bus situation is not the first time the daycare has caused her concern.

"The very first month, he fell and got hurt and no one knew how it happened," she added. 

Look up complaints and records on registered daycares in Oklahoma.