Wednesday, February 12, 2003
LEOMINSTER-- An allegation of abuse brought by a state child welfare
agency against the director of a Mechanic Street day care center has been
dropped, the lawyer for the center said yesterday.
Piccolo Mondo Child Care and Learning Center
lawyer Mark M. Mulligan said the Department of Social Services found it could
not support the neglect complaint after an administrative review.
The DSS had said that Maria D. Cupo, the director
of Piccolo Mondo Child Care and Learning Center, had failed to properly train
her staff to prevent abuse, and had failed to report an allegation of abuse from
a parent in a timely manner, Mr. Mulligan said. The DSS now says not enough
evidence supports the allegation and so it was dropped, he said.
DSS spokesman Michael S. MacCormack confirmed the
neglect charge had been overturned. But DSS officials continue to have concerns
about the director's and staff's compliance with the abuse-reporting law, he
said.
The DSS action does not affect the case against
former teacher Frank E. Garcia Jr., who is facing charges of indecent assault
and battery on four of the center's children, Mr. MacCormack said. Mr. Garcia is
accused of touching a child's genitals, having a child touch his genitals and
touching a child's tongue with his own.
Mr. Garcia has denied the charges, and has been
allowed to remain free on personal recognizance until the case comes to trial.
The case is expected to come before the Leominster District Court Thursday for
pretrial motions. Mr. Garcia's lawyer, John A. Bosk Jr., has sought the
counselor and physician records of the children who alleged the abuse.
The center's staff is trained to recognize and
report possible abuse or neglect of the children in their care, and their
training exceeds the training received by other area day cares, Mr. Mulligan
said.
The state Office of Child Care Services has
allowed the center to continue to operate, with conditions. The state has
increased its monitoring of the center's day-to-day operations and Mrs. Cupo has
given up her position as director, but remains the center's president.
Administrative staff and a consultant handle the
day-to-day operations, Mr. Mulligan said. Mrs. Cupo has received strong support
from parents whose children attend the center's preschool and kindergarten
programs, including staging rallies to show their support.
The center is allowed to accept new children,
gradually building back to normal enrollment, Mr. Mulligan said. The
probationary period could end as early as June, he said.