Utah daycare shut down after child’s toes severed by lawnmower 

CEDAR CITY — A daycare facility in Cedar City must close its doors by December 4.

That comes after the Utah Department of Health and Human Services found multiple safety violations at Chandara Childcare LLC.

DHHS issued a notice revoking the daycare’s license, citing critical failures in supervision and compliance with state regulations.

According to state records, a child’s foot was severely injured on October 15 when a staff member was mowing the backyard lawn while 14 children under the age of 6 were present. The mower severed multiple toes, and the child required emergency surgery.

Violations uncovered

Following an inspection on October 18, the DHHS identified several violations at Chandara Childcare, for failing to protect children from harm and providing insufficient supervision by not having enough staff.

DHHS also found that staff placed infants to sleep in unsafe equipment, such as baby bouncers, and failed to notify parents in writing about incidents involving their children, as required by state regulations.

State response

The daycare’s license revocation is one of only three such actions taken by the DHHS since November 2019. Chandara Childcare has until December 4 to cease operations, terminate services, and notify families of the closure.

Transparency for parents

DHHS urges parents to utilize its online resources to review licensing compliance histories for all childcare providers. Inspection reports, compliance histories, and notices of agency actions are available on their website. Parents can also report concerns about potential non-compliance.

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