In a letter dated Feb. 6, the Department of Social Services said it has completed its investigation of Piccolo Mondo president Maria Cupo and "made the determination to change the records to reflect that the investigation should have been unsupported."
The DSS letter, however, did state that the department still has "concerns" regarding Cupo's and Cupo's staff's compliance with laws mandating that they "immediately" report any suspected incidents of abuse.
Cupo could not be reached for comment Monday night.
Scott P. Scholefield, Director of Special Case Investigations for DSS, did offer to conduct training to Cupo's staff "on mandated reporting."
The state Office of Child Care Services had originally sought to shut down Piccolo Mondo after police had arrested Frank Garcia of Fitchburg, a former worker at the center, on three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under the age of 14.
The incidents allegedly took place last summer. Police later charged Garcia with a fourth count of abuse after a fourth child came forward with new charges.
The charges against him are still pending.
The state dropped its attempt to shut down the Leominster center when it reached an agreement with Cupo on Nov. 19.
The agreement allowed the center to remain open if Cupo stepped down as director and took on a lesser role.
It also allowed Cupo to remain as president and to apply for reinstatement as director in six months.
The DSS investigation probed whether Cupo had neglected the children by not instituting proper controls around the time of the alleged incidents.
VOICE NOTE: HOW SAD THAT CITY EDITOR MAT O'BRIEN OF THE FITCHBURG SENTINEL JUST REALLY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE TRUE ISSUES.
MARIA WAS CONVICTED WITH NO DUE PROCESS OF SOMEONE'S INTERPRETATION OF WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE.
NO STATEMENT CAN BE PROVEN BY EVIDENCE TO ANY CLAIMS MADE BY DSS AND OCCS.
YET SIXTY FAMILIES AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WERE PLACED IN A LIVING NIGHTMARE TO JUSTIFY A REPORT, THAT IN THE END WAS PROVEN TO BE FALSE.
HOW SAD ........