“I knew that my baby was gone” – mother of 3-month-old who died at illegal daycare

…facility operating without approval, certification – Ministry of Human Services

Authorities are investigating the death of three-month-old Kyrie Anthony Nelson of Lot 753 Fourth Drive, Kaneville, EBD, which occurred on Friday afternoon while he was in a cradle at Mya’s Daycare, a facility in that community.
On Saturday, Rebekha Anthony, a 23-year-old single mother of two, recalled dropping off her son at that daycare at approximately 8:00h, before heading to work. The daycare is owned by a 56-year-old woman who is currently on vacation, and the facility is currently being managed by two staff members in her absence.
According to Anthony, she received an urgent call from one of the employees, informing her that her child was unresponsive.
“The girl from the daycare called me and was saying, ‘Rebekha! Rebekha! It’s Kyrie’s teacher. Can you please come to the daycare now! And when you’re coming, please bring an ambulance’.”
“I asked her what happened, and she said they fed Kyrie, and when (they) went to check on him, they saw blood coming out of his nose, and he was not responding,” Anthony shared.

“I ran from where I was, and I came home and was crying for help…my nephew ended up going to the school, and he came back and said that they had Kyrie in their hands and they were not taking him to the hospital. He said he had to holler on them and tell them to take his cousin to the hospital.”
Rebekha said she and her family rushed to the daycare, and it was only upon their arrival that the staff decided to take the baby to the hospital by taxi.
Police on Saturday said that one staff member at the facility reported that she had received the infant alive from his mother, and had fed him porridge at around 09:00h. She had then placed him in a cradle at about 11:00h and had gone to care for another child. At about 12:00h, while preparing other children to leave, she found this baby lying face-down on his pillow in the cradle. An alarm was raised, and upon checking the baby, what appeared to be blood was seen oozing from his nostrils.
Police have said that this daycare staff member further reported that she and the other woman on duty took the infant to the kitchen area and washed his face, but he was not responding.
Anthony recounted the scene at the hospital, where doctors were attempting to revive her son.
“When my son arrived at the hospital, he was already blue. My baby had an oxygen mask on him, and they were pumping his chest. All I kept seeing was my baby’s belly going up and down, and he was not responding. I got down on my knees and started to pray, asking God to give my baby one more chance,” the tearful woman said. “The doctors said he didn’t have a heartbeat, but they found a pulse. They kept trying for an hour…I went outside, and then I saw my sisters come back outside crying, and I knew that my baby was gone.”
Anthony mentioned that following the birth of her son, she had stayed at home, and had only recently started to work, and, as such, had enrolled the child at the nearby daycare.
“I need justice for my son! Yesterday (Friday) my son left home fine; he was playing and smiling with everybody. He was healthy and jovial. My child had no health issues, and if he was ever sick with a fever or anything, I would stay home and make sure I took care of him until he was better. I need justice for my son, because you cannot take people’s children…and when something goes wrong, not try to take them to the hospital,” she contended. “I was told that the teacher was trying to call an ambulance for over half an hour and didn’t get one, and she couldn’t leave the other children unattended. I work hard to take care of my son and my daughter. I need justice for my son!” the woman has said.
A postmortem examination is scheduled for Wednesday to determine the cause of the child’s death. Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether the daycare in question is certified.
Illegal daycare
In a statement issued on Saturday afternoon, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry has said that, based on investigations, it was discovered that 24 children currently attend the facility, which includes three three-month-old babies.
According to the Ministry, the last time documents had been issued to Mya’s Daycare for renewing the Child Care Licence was on February 7, 2020.
“Checks with this childcare facility during and post-COVID-19 always revealed that this facility was closed. Ms [name withheld], the agency’s registered caregiver, has always reported that the facility has been closed since 2020. However, investigations revealed that the granddaughter opened a child care facility illegally on the 2nd of January 2024 unknown to the Child Care and Protection Agency. No documentation or assessment was ever made for this illegal facility by the Child Care and Protection Agency’s Early Childhood Development Services Unit,” the Ministry has said in its statement.
The Early Childhood Development Services Unit, the statement read, “is saddened by the loss of the life of an innocent child due to the breaking of the laws of Guyana, which states that all caregivers offering services must be registered, and any facilities operational in Guyana must be licensed by the Child Care and Protection Agency. CPA appeals to parents to ensure that the facilities you utilise for your children are registered and licensed, as they will meet the standards required for the safety and security of your children.” (G9)