A West Michigan day care owner is under investigation after for allegedly locking children in tents.
As that case remains underway in Kent County, FOX 17 did some digging on what parents should look for when sending a child to a day care facility.
One mom tells us you should look out at staffing levels, including the ratio of providers to children.
In 2015, Sandy Bromley lost her baby daughter Haddie, who was only 9-months-old, after an incident at a day care, where a blanket was put in her crib, causing her to suffocate.
That case is in no way related to the current investigation in Kent County.
Now, Bromley doesn't want any other parent to go through similar pain. After that tragedy, she launched the organization Haddie's Calling, which aims to educate people about babies and safe sleeping.
Backed by advice from The American Academy of Pediatrics, Bromley says parents should be able to talk to providers easily. She suggests parents never be afraid to ask questions or to show up and see for themselves how providers interact with kids at the facility.
She also checks to see if day care facilities have proper licensing. She reiterated that it's important to check credentials.
"There was times where we would interview people, we'd go into their homes, you know, ask where they were going to be sleeping, show me that space? Where are you? What do we feed them? What are your procedures, show me how you keep track of things. All of that. And if it didn't feel right, we didn't do it," Bromley said.
Bromley also encourages parents to trust their gut.
"You can tell you from experience, dropping your kid off at day care and not being able to pick them up is not worth any job not worth any paycheck that you get. You will never regret. I mean, you will always regret that choice, but you will regret it for the rest of your life. So it's yeah, if it feels wrong like there's a reason why you're feeling that way."
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and the University of Michigan also has a comprehensive list on their site when it comes to choosing daycare providers
Experts also say to study the facility's curriculum, what kinds of lessons they're doing, and educational toys they may be using. It's also important to know the facility's policies on safety and vaccines.
Do some background checking and see if you can learn about the crime rate in that area. Again, don't be afraid to ask if weapons are on the premises and if they're locked up.
If you have settled on a spot, experts also suggest paying a surprise visit there, to see how the place is on any given day.
