BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A Brunswick day care will still remain closed for 21 days while being investigated for the death of 16-month-old Jamal Bryant Jr., who choked while in their care last week.
The owner of The Kids Nest Learning Center, Charles Grant, gave his testimony at a hearing Thursday morning in an Atlanta courtroom. The parents of the toddler were also there to listen.
While giving his testimony, Grant acknowledged there were only two staffers in the room when Bryant choked, one staff member hadn't been CPR trained and the other just started that week.
Grant also said his employees weren't following the daycare and state rules, because they weren't sitting with or monitoring children during mealtime.
“All this stuff just failed my son, everything," said Taylor Hicks, mom of Jamal Bryant Jr.
Documents from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning reveal the toddler was walking around eating watermelon and approached staff members distressed, which led to staff trying to render aid for nearly four minutes until EMS arrived.
The toddler's parents calling the day care's actions inexcusable.
"We depend on you all to take care of our children to the best of your ability and if that was one of the rules, I feel like obviously you should have followed them," said Hicks.
The Learning Center will remain closed for the next three weeks as the state investigates.
"It’s not a lot but it’s a little relief that they’re still being closed and hopefully they do all they can do this investigation so that way they can stay permanently closed, that’s one of our goals," said Hicks, "We don’t have him, so we have to do what we have to do to keep his name alive and make sure that this doesn’t happen to any other child and other families have to deal what we’re going through."
The center is closed down until at least June 13.
The Glynn County Sheriff's Department is also investigating.