OR: Daycare director charged with slapping child has complaint history

04:50 PM PST on Wednesday, December 10, 2008
By ERIC ADAMS, Kgw.com Staff
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_121008_news_daycare_director_slaps_child.4cb83771.html

PORTLAND, Ore. -- State child care authorities said Wednesday that a Clackamas daycare center director who was arrested for slapping an 18-month-old has been charged with improperly hitting a child before.

Clackamas sheriffs on Tuesday arrested Viva D. Redding, 59, owner and director of the Sunnyside Learning Center, for slapping an 18-month-old child as a form of corporal punishment.

Kathleen Hynes, a manager with the Oregon Employment Department Childcare Division, said a complaint was filed against Redding in December 2007 for "improperly spanking and/or slapping a child."

At the time, Redding was running a daycare center out of her home called Early Start Daycare and Preschool.

State officials investigated and found the complaints were valid and Redding was required to undergo training for "proper discipline procedures for children," according to Hynes.

Hynes did not know whether Redding actually completed the state-mandated training, though.

On Tuesday, Redding took an 18-month-old into her office "to address disciplinary issues" after the child allegedly bit another child, according to sheriffs.

A Sunnyside Learning Center instructor told sheriffs Redding slapped the child hard enough to break skin around the mouth, according to a police report.

Redding was booked into Clackamas County Jail, cited and then released from custody on harassment charges, police said.

Chantel Williams has a 2-year-old son enrolled at Sunnyside. She said the kids really liked Redding and that she didn't really have any problems with her.

"The only problems we've had before is (my son's) gotten bit before and they didn't call me, so I was a little upset about that, once, but their rates are so much cheaper than everyone else," Williams said. "They've all been very nice and he's seemed to like it here. It makes me uneasy -- I wish I had known this before I brought him here."

Redding was scheduled to address the charges in court on Jan. 8, 2009.

Several agencies participated in the current investigation, including the Department of Human Services, the state Employment Department and Clackamas sheriffs.

Sunnyside Learning Center has an enrollment of at least 40 children.

The Oregon Division of Child Care Licensing said a number of complaints had been lodged against Sunnyside, including improper staffing levels and sanitary issues.

Sunnyside will continue to operate, officials said, but Redding did not come to work Wednesday.

Sheriffs said any parents concerned their children were hit while in care at Sunnyside should contact the Department of Human Services hot line at 971-673-7257.

KGW Reporter Amanda Burden contributed to this report.