A Brunswick day care facility will remain closed until June 13 after the owner filed an appeal of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s emergency closure following the death of a 16-month-old.
The owner, Charles Grant, submitted an appeal to the decision on Wednesday, citing that the staff followed all proper protocols and administered first aid to the toddler.
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Jamal Allen Bryant Jr. died after he choked on a piece of watermelon while in the care of The Kids Nest Learning Center on May 21.
In court on Thursday, Grant said he does not have a problem with shutting down the center for 21 days, according to Reg Griffin, chief communications officer for DECAL.
Grant didn’t have an attorney in court. The facility has been under an emergency closure since May 23.
According to the documents obtained by New4JAX, Bryant walked up to two staff members, and a staff member picked him up to begin patting him on his back.
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That staff member sat down and placed Bryant on their lap to continue to pat his back, the document said.
A little over two minutes passed and the staff called the front desk for assistance. The document said a faculty member came to the classroom to try to provide aid to Bryant, placing the child in several positions to try to dislodge the watermelon and regain his breathing.
Now, a little over three minutes have gone by, and they called 911.
Around eight minutes later, rescue crews arrived and about 14 minutes later, Bryant was rushed to hospital, where he died.