DAVISON, Mich. — Jason and Rebecca Vannest spent more than a year trusting they made the right choice in selecting a day care for their son. Earlier this year, that trust was shattered.
According to a report by WNEM, the Vannests learned the horrible truth about the day care their 2-year-old son was attending in June.
After a long search for a day care center for their 2-year-old son William, they fell in love with the Rainbow Child Care Center in Davison, Mich. They believed everything was fine.
“I would often call and say he was a little upset at drop-off, is he doing OK now? Do you need anything? Is he being good for you today? It felt like we had a trust,” Rebecca Vannest told WNEM.
Shortly after William’s second birthday in June, they received a call that changed everything.
“We had a contact from a worker at Rainbow who had a great concern about the care that he was being provided,” Jason Vannest told WNEM.
That’s when someone on the inside shared a photo with the couple.
“She explained to us he was being physically bound for naps, and over time, this happened about a period of a couple of months,” Jason Vannest said.
The Vannests say the picture showed a clear case of child abuse, with William bound against his will.
The Vannests got the police and the state involved. According to WNEM, the Department of Health and Human Services cited the day care for wrongdoing. However, the punishment, if any, is unknown.
WNEM also confirmed that the Davison Township Police Department conducted its own investigation, but the county prosecutor did not move forward with the case.
The Vannests said they believe the action taken against the Rainbow Child Care Center is insufficient. For now, they are keeping William out of day care.
“It’s just scary as a parent, because I don’t know how another parent would find this out,” Rebecca Vannest said.
Rainbow Child Care Center Spokesperson M.G. Shapiro issued the following statement to FOX 17 when contacted about this story:
“The safety and security of the students we are privileged to serve is our first priority. We have remained cooperative and transparent with all local authorities and regulatory agencies throughout this process. To that end, the licensing investigation report confirms that the child’s movement was not restricted as a form of punishment.”
