INVESTIGATION REPORT

Incident # 32164      facility#211701  

Name of Facility        Piccolo Mondo Child Care and Learning Center

Address                   680 Mechanic Street, Leominster, A 01453

Facility Description: The facility is licensed for a total of 96 children. The breakdown of the license is a follows:

67 children 2.9

7 infants

9 mixed infant as and toddlers

13 toddlers

limited school age license for 6 children 7-9.5 years old to be encompassed in the total of 96

Intake date: June 4, 2002                                        Report Date: June 26, 2002

I. Reason for Investigation: the Director f the Program notified the Office that Frank Garcia had allegedly sexually abused a child from the Center.

During the course of the investigation seven more allegations were made against Frank Garcia

II Finding: Eight Credible allegations were made against the staff member.  There were seven SAIN Teams held.  The teams determined that the children were credible in their disclosures ranging from being abused to being propositioned by Frank Garcia.  Most of the incidents occurred in Frank Garcia's classroom, in an area that was separated and barricade from within the classroom.

This investigation determined that Maria Cupo interfered in this investigation in its initial stages.  Maria Cupo allowed her husband Mike Cupo, (who is not affiliated with the Program) to speak to parents of children who were abused and some of these parents stated that they were led to believe that the children had been lying.  It was also reported that Maria and Mike Cupo had appeared to be very supportive of Frank Garcia.

Maria Cupo arranged for Karen, a teacher at the Program, to interview a child, who she knew had made a disclosure of sexual abuse by Frank Garcia.  Maria Cupo had even instructed prior to encouraging Karen interview the child, not to interfere with the investigation.  This child make a disclosure to Karen and the office was never made aware of the disclosure by either Karen or Maria Cupo

Maria and Mike Cupo scheduled meeting between the parent, child, Frank Garcia and themselves for June 3, 2002 in order to resole the problem of the first disclosure.  This illustrates Maria Cupo's inability to follow the Program's own procedures for abuse of children while in the custody of the Program.  This meeting could have jeopardized a criminal investigation as well as the investigation of this Office.  If this meeting had take place, Maria Cupo could have exposed the child to further traumatization by Frank Garcia.

Maria Cupo informed the Office that Frank Garcia, while substituting in other classrooms, would not deal with toilet training or changing of diapers.  Maria Cupo stated that this was a condition that was sit up by her and Frank Garcia.  One staff member interviewed state that Frank Garcia definitely changed diapers while working with her and another staff member stated that he could have changed diapers.  These two stall members were not aware f the conditions set forth by Maria Cupo.

Maria Cupo allowed Mike Cupo to write a short note to the parents, which she signed, stating that they had looked into he matter of the abuse, interviewed their staff, and found no evidence to support abuse.

During the course of this investigation Mike Cupo called this Investigator for explanations shortly after discussing them with Maria Cupo.  Usually what had been communicate to Mike Cupo by Maria Cupo had been different then what this investigator had addressed with her.  This issue was addressed with both parries due to the fact that Mike Cupo was not part of the administration of the Program.  I appeared that Mike Cupo was making decisions as opposed to Maria Cupo.  The issue of confidentiality was addressed with both parties.  Although the Office understands the desire of Mike Cupo to support Maria Cupo, the fact remains that his involvement did hinder the beginning stages of this investigations.

It is evident that Maria Cupo had some concerns regarding the biological family of one of the abused children and the possibility of abuse occurring in the home.  These concerns were never documented in the record of the child and a 51A was never field with the Department of Social Services.  According to Maria Cupo, some of the concerns were communicated to her while the parent would cut her hair.

A review of Frank Garcia personnel file did not show evidence of reference checks being done.  According to Maria Cupo, there were two letters of recommendation from his previous employer.  This Investigator contacted on of the alleged authors of the letter and was informed that it is against their policy to write reference letters and that she did not know Frank Garcia while he was employed there.  This person also stated that it would have been doubtful that one of her employees would have written the second letter as had been reported to this Instigator due to it being against policy.  

It is evident from  interviews conducted with several staff members and a review of the file of the Program that Mara Cupo did not follow her plan for staff supervision.  The staff members were not aware of receiving regular, ongoing supervision as appropriate to their positions.  Staff member did indicate that Maria Cupo was approachable when issues would come up.

It is evident from the interviews conducted with staff members and from conversations with parents of children in care that there are no professional boundaries between employees. Maria Cupo and the  parents .  A parent cuts the hair for some of the staff members.  A parent of a child in care was alleged to have been a reference for the accused staff member.  Some of the parents consider Maria Cupo to be a personal friend.  These relationships contributed to staff members, as well as Maria Cupo's, inability to file a 51A against a parent at the center.

Parents that were interviewed during the course of this investigation were told by staff members, Maria and Mike Cupo information that was of a confidential nature dealing with two of the parents whose children were abused by Frank Garcia.

It is evident that Marcia Cupo was violating the confines of her limited school age license in the room were Frank Garcia worked.

It is determined that Maria and Mike Cupo knowingly misled the parents of children enrolled in the Program and Maria and Mike Cupo made it seen like they had done and investigation and determined that the child was not credible. Maria and Mike Cupo intimidated parents of children who were abused by Frank Garcia trying to influence tem in to coming foreword and reporting to the authorities that their children were abused.

As Director of the Program Maria Cupo is entrusted with a high decree of responsibility for the health and welfare of the children enrolled in the Program.  The fact that Maria Cupo failed to do referenced checks. properly supervise Frank Garcia, encouraged and arranged for Karen Crumbly to interview a child regarding a disclosure of sexual abuse and also violated the confines of her limited school age license created and atmosphere were children were abused.  Therefore Maria Cupo failure to take those actons that are necessary to provide the children in her Program with minimally adequate care, emotional stability and growth constitute neglect.

Furthermore, its of the utmost concern of the office that some of the children interviewed recognized and understood how Frank Garcia was abusing and making advances to the children in the classroom while Maria Cupo and her staff had absolutely no concerns regarding her behavior towards children.

III Summary of Investigation Activity

Interview conducted:

Sain team interviews                        Licensing file            Enrollment

Director                                            Personnel file

Staff interviews                                Enrollment

Parent contacts                            51A's and B's

Personnel Office                            Police report

IV Summary of finding:

Interviews;

-Sain Team interviews.

-Six Sain Team interviews were conducted.

-the sixth child would not cooperate with the Sain team interview.

-A parent of seventh child, who had disclosed being abused, declined to have her child interviewed.

-Most of the children disclosed the abuse taking place around the computer area.

-One child disclosed being abused by Frank Garcia while in the bathroom after having had an accident.

-Some of the children disclose observing Frank Garcia attempting some of the things done to them on other children.

-A child interviewed by DSS disclosed seeing Frank Garcia give some of the reported children mints.

- The child disclosed that in order for the reported children to receive the mints they would have to give Frank Garcia a foot rub.

-This child disclosed that viewing this made her feel uncomfortable.

-This child stated that she would not take a mint from Frank Garcia, even though she loved them, because this child knew what this meant

pg. 10

The Department of Social Services supported sexual abuse of three children by Frank Garcia.                     From the Sain teams that were conducted and from parent interviews, this office has determined that there five children that were sexually abused by Frank Garcia. Two children disclosed being approached by Frank Garcia and being propositioned by him.  Of those two children, it was the opinion of the Sain team members that one child did not want to disclose how he was abused by Frank Garcia.  One other child declined to be interviewed.