Parents Say School Might Have Had Warning Signs

Parents at the John Knox Child Development Center say the 19-month-old abuse victim's mother notified the director of the school that something was wrong before the incident that put the toddler in the hospital.

Former John Knox teacher's aide Meredith Howard, 38, is out of jail on bond. The school says she has been fired since her arrest Monday on two counts of child abuse by injury.

Friday another parents at the school, who asked to remain anonymous, said the school had warning signs that something was wrong with the abuse victim. The parent has a daughter the same age in the same class at John Knox.

Tulsa police confirm what the mother's story.

She said the toddler's mother noticed a problem with her daughter at least a week before the incident.

She claims her daughter was acting strangely during diaper changes. Police say the mom alerted the school, but the school director told her it was normal behavior for the child's age.

But, according to investigators, the school began monitoring diaper changes in that classroom. During the week of the monitoring the mother said her child's behavior went back to normal.

Police say the mother reported that just after the monitoring stopped her child was severely injured and needed surgery.

FOX23 tried to talk to the school's director, Stephanie Taylor, to confirm the story, but was told she was gone for the day Friday. An associate pastor at the church referred FOX23 to an attorney.

FOX23 then called attorney Mark Warman, who represents the church, but he declined an on-camera or recorded phone interview. When FOX23 asked if he knew anything about the mother's claims he said he could not comment.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services confirms the John Knox Child Development Center reported the abuse on its state-wide hot line. But police say the school's report did not accurately describe the severity of the child's injuries, and that it wasn't until the child was taken to the hospital that doctors informed D.H.S. of the magnitude of the abuse.

The school has said on its website that it has initiated safety measures in classrooms, including doubling the number of teachers, and is looking into video monitoring systems.