In the News: An infant boy was found dead in a sport utility vehicle outside a west side daycare center, apparently left unattended by an employee of the center who picked him up, police and relatives said. The temperature was 81 degrees at 4 p.m. when a 911 caller reported that the baby, identified by family members as a 4-month-old, was found in a Dodge Durango outside the day care.

Reality Alert: A simple mistake put a reputable childcare center in the middle of everyone’s worst nightmare… the death of a young child. An employee at the facility, who had worked there for several years, placed a 3-month-old child down for a nap on her stomach.

Bookcase Causes Tragedy: A two-year-old child was crushed to death when a bookcase she was climbing on tipped over and fell on top of her. An investigation by the state’s Department of Human Services found two reasons responsible for this avoidable tragedy.

In the News: A 15-month-old boy began vomiting severely during dinner and his parents immediately rushed him to the emergency room. There it was revealed that the young boy had swallowed a nickel-sized button battery that had become lodged in his throat.

Child care providers are required to maintain a variety of certifications. The specifics vary from state to state, but often include skills such as basic first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Reality Alert: On July 16th, 2007, a 14-month-old boy in Minnesota was airlifted to an intensive care unit after suffering 1st and 2nd degree burns to more than 13% of his body. While reaching for his bottle at daycare, he unintentionally pulled the cord of a slow cooker used to warm his formula.

Reality Alert: A group of children were celebrating a birthday party at a fitness center. One of the kids threw a basketball into the air and knocked a sprinkler head. Although the impact was relatively minor, the fragile glass bulb in the sprinkler head shattered, activating the sprinkler, causing hundreds of gallons of pressurized water to flood the hardwood basketball court.

In the News: A spa employee left a load of laundry in the dryer over night. The cycle finished and the clothes were simply left in the dryer so they could be folded the following morning.

In the News: A nighttime fire at a day spa caused fire, smoke, and water damage forcing the facility’s closure. Thirty-six firefighters from three stations fought to contain the blaze for over two hours.

Reality Alert: Over the Christmas holiday a fitness center was closed for several days so employees could enjoy some time off work and be with their families. This period of closure, however, provided thieves the perfect opportunity to stage a massive heist of a large amount of copper piping throughout the facility.