Houston-area daycare closes permanently after 5-year-old girl dies

Monday, March 9, 2020
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A day care in Northwest Harris County has chosen on their own to close their doors for good after a tragedy at the facility last week.

The George Bryan Christian School, which also goes by the name Kleinbrook Community Preschool, called 911 to report a medical emergency last Wednesday at the facility near West Richey Rd and Bammel North Houston.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said a 5-year-old girl was taken by Life Flight to the hospital where she died. The medical examiner's office has not published a cause of death.

Parents said they were told the school would be temporarily closed the following two days because of the tragedy.

Friday, parents were sent a letter from the school letting them know they were closing permanently.

"Although we are confident and absolute in our efforts as a team to continue to care for children, we have decided it is best that we take a temporary step back to mentally and physically recalibrate," the letter read.

The Texas Department of Health and Human Services confirmed it was the school's decision to close.

DHHS has recorded numerous violations against the school since it opened in August of 2016.

Thirteen of the violations were weighted as "high."

The most recent came in December when records show a caregiver was working at the daycare without having gone through a proper background check. Five days later, records show the background check was initiated.

In November, an inspector noted that children were left alone in the infant room while an employee released a child. Records show the facility was in compliance at the follow up inspection.

There were 40 violations rated as medium and three as low.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services confirms they are investigating what happened at the facility last week.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office is also conducting an investigation.

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