Review of Winnipeg preschool launched by province after mom found son, 3, alone in the cold
The province has launched a review of a Winnipeg preschool after a mom found her three-year-son outside and alone in the cold.
Teeghan Butler, the boy’s mom, said it happened last Friday when she was picking him up for the day.
“I was terrified,” Butler said. “It was really scary to see my son just standing there completely alone.”
Butler said she had contacted the St. James Early Learning Program to say she was running late.
When she got to the church the program runs out of about 20 minutes later than normal, Butler saw her son standing outside the entrance hugging a tree under no supervision.
“I immediately ran to him and grabbed him and made sure he was safe and okay and put him in the car to warm him up because he was freezing,” Butler said.
The preschool program is licensed by the province. A provincial spokesperson said it was made aware of the incident Monday and has launched a review due to “the potential substantial concerns regarding safety practices that resulted in the situation.”
The province said it immediately suspended field trips and outings away from the facility until further notice.
Further action may be taken based on the findings of the review.
CTV News Winnipeg has made multiple attempts to contact the preschool but so far it hasn’t commented on specifics of what happened.
Butler said she was initially told a teacher didn’t get her message and then was told the boy left a group as they walked outside and that a teacher assumed the boy had found his mom in the parking lot.
Jodie Kehl, executive director of the Manitoba Child Care Association, said there are licensed regulations that licensed child-care facilities must follow. One of those regulations requires children be supervised at all times.
“A three-year-old child is not capable, a young preschool child is not capable of being unsupervised in a program and so the parent has done the right thing,” Kehl said.
Butler first brought the issue to the provider’s attention and then filed a complaint with the province. She said her son was outside alone for between 10 and 20 minutes.
It’s a situation that left not only her but also the boy’s grandmother concerned.
“Obviously, everyone wants their children to feel safe and this is a situation that wasn’t,” the boy’s grandma Stacey Schellenberg said.
Butler pulled her son out of the program. She said the preschool has apologized and is promising to make changes but she thinks more needs to be done to ensure the safety of children.
“I don’t want this to be something that’s just swept under the rug and kind of just forgotten about,” Butler said. “I want to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”
She said her son had been enjoying his time in the program over the past two years but he’s been afraid to leave her side ever since he was found outside alone.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.