In a heartbreaking incident that has rocked the Brunswick community, 16-month-old Jamal Bryant Jr. tragically passed away after choking on a piece of watermelon at The Kids Nest Learning Center in coastal Georgia.
Days after the devastating incident, the state agency Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning shut down the day-care center.
As per to a filing from Bright from the Start, the agency was informed on Tuesday about the child’s demise.
The report said that Jamal Bryant Jr. was not properly supervised while eating a large piece of watermelon as a snack.
The toddler choked on the fruit and subsequently passed at a nearby hospital.
Surveillance footage from the daycare opened that 3 employees were engaged in conversation with each other instead of monitoring the children under their care.
The video also showed that the employees failed to provide proper 1st aid.
Instead of performing CPR, which is the standard emergency response, they repeatedly patted the child on the back, an ineffective measure in such a critical situation.
In response to the devastating incident, Bright from the Start issued an emergency closure notice for The Kids Nest Learning Center on Thursday.
This decision comes after a thorough review of the surveillance video and other proof.
Channel 2 Action News’ sister station, Action News Jax, conducted an investigation into the daycare’s history and found a troubling pattern.
Inspection reports opened several complaints against The Kids Nest Learning Center dating back to 2022.