12-22-2004, 02:35 PM
http://www.sj-r.com/sections/news/stories/43208.asp
Aides lose jobs after diaper smearing
By LISA KERNEK
STAFF WRITER
TAYLORVILLE - Two classroom aides smeared a urine-soaked diaper in the face of a 6-year-old autistic girl at North Elementary School, state child-welfare investigators found.
Mid-State Special Education has fired the aides, according to the girl's mother, Michelle Mollusky of Kincaid.
Aides Diane Champley and Jeanie Wright became the subject of a state investigation on Nov. 5, said Diane Jackson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Neither Champley nor Wright, both of Taylorville, returned phone messages left Monday and Tuesday.
The Breeze-Courier newspaper in Taylorville reported that Champley and Wright denied the allegations and indicated they had filed a grievance.
Jerry Wasson, executive director of Mid-State, declined comment, citing rules protecting the confidentiality of personnel decisions.
DCFS learned of the allegations from a caller to the agency's hot line, Jackson said.
Investigators concluded that the aides committed child abuse for "an incident regarding a diaper, a urine-soaked diaper, that was smeared in the child's face" on Nov. 2, Jackson said. Investigators closed the case Nov. 23.
Mid-State Special Education is based in Taylorville and provides special-education services to 16 member school districts in four counties in central Illinois.
Mollusky, the girl's mother, said Mid-State officials informed her Nov. 4 about the incident. Mollusky's husband, Anthony, also received an anonymous call about it.
Their daughter is non-verbal because of her autism.
"She can't tell us exactly how this affected her," Michelle Mollusky said.
Mollusky said the aides were believed to have been trying to teach her daughter a lesson because the girl is not toilet-trained. She said she has tried unsuccessfully to toilet-train her daughter.
Mid-State officials informed the Molluskys in late November that Champley and Wright had been dismissed, Michelle Mollusky said.
"I would like it known the school and the program are excellent," Mollusky said. "It's just these two women who made a mistake.
Aides lose jobs after diaper smearing
By LISA KERNEK
STAFF WRITER
TAYLORVILLE - Two classroom aides smeared a urine-soaked diaper in the face of a 6-year-old autistic girl at North Elementary School, state child-welfare investigators found.
Mid-State Special Education has fired the aides, according to the girl's mother, Michelle Mollusky of Kincaid.
Aides Diane Champley and Jeanie Wright became the subject of a state investigation on Nov. 5, said Diane Jackson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Neither Champley nor Wright, both of Taylorville, returned phone messages left Monday and Tuesday.
The Breeze-Courier newspaper in Taylorville reported that Champley and Wright denied the allegations and indicated they had filed a grievance.
Jerry Wasson, executive director of Mid-State, declined comment, citing rules protecting the confidentiality of personnel decisions.
DCFS learned of the allegations from a caller to the agency's hot line, Jackson said.
Investigators concluded that the aides committed child abuse for "an incident regarding a diaper, a urine-soaked diaper, that was smeared in the child's face" on Nov. 2, Jackson said. Investigators closed the case Nov. 23.
Mid-State Special Education is based in Taylorville and provides special-education services to 16 member school districts in four counties in central Illinois.
Mollusky, the girl's mother, said Mid-State officials informed her Nov. 4 about the incident. Mollusky's husband, Anthony, also received an anonymous call about it.
Their daughter is non-verbal because of her autism.
"She can't tell us exactly how this affected her," Michelle Mollusky said.
Mollusky said the aides were believed to have been trying to teach her daughter a lesson because the girl is not toilet-trained. She said she has tried unsuccessfully to toilet-train her daughter.
Mid-State officials informed the Molluskys in late November that Champley and Wright had been dismissed, Michelle Mollusky said.
"I would like it known the school and the program are excellent," Mollusky said. "It's just these two women who made a mistake.