The driver fired from a West Fork preschool last month after a child was left for more than seven hours in the preschool's van was charged Friday on a preliminary misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor.
The child spent much of the day Sept. 9 in a van belonging to Growing God's Kingdom preschool, according to a West Fork police report. The preschool is owned by state Rep. Justin Harris, R-West Fork, and his wife, Marsha Harris.
Connie Ramey, 56, of West Fork turned herself in after learning a warrant had been issued for her arrest, said Pauletta Welch, chief clerk at West Fork District Court.
Ramey was booked into the Washington County jail in Fayetteville but was not detained. She was cited and released without having to post a bond. Her arraignment has been scheduled for Oct. 20 in West Fork District Court.
Ramey was fired from her job at the preschool on Sept. 10.
According to the police report, Ramey picked up the 3-year-old girl at about 7:15 a.m. Sept. 9, unloaded children at the preschool at 8 a.m. and made a second run to pick up more kids. She unloaded the second group of children at the preschool around 9 a.m.
The 3-year-old girl was overlooked both times the 2014 Chevrolet van was unloaded, according to the report.
Ramey told police that she parked the van in the shade after unloading the second group of children. She said she did paperwork for 15 minutes, then walked to the back of the van to shut off the alarm, which is standard procedure. She "cracked both windows," locked the van and went into the preschool building, the report said.
After children arrive for class, each teacher normally signs a form accounting for the children, Ramey told police. One teacher wasn't in the room, so Ramey said she signed the children in herself about 9:20 a.m.
Ramey clocked out at 9:50 a.m. and went home, planning to return in the afternoon to take children home. Ramey told police that she wasn't feeling well that day and slept while she was home.
About 1 p.m., Ramey returned to Growing God's Kingdom and learned that one girl was unaccounted for, the report said. About an hour later, Ramey went to the van and realized that she had left the child in the vehicle all day, according to the police report.
Damita Snodgrass, who works at Growing God's Kingdom, told police that Ramey called her at 2:22 p.m. She said Ramey sounded stressed during their 17-second conversation and that Ramey asked Snodgrass to bring juice to the van for the child, according to the report.
"Connie said, 'I'm afraid I left this little girl in here all day. I'm going to lose my job, and I don't blame them,'" Snodgrass recalled in the police report.
Justin Harris told police that Ramey called his wife at 2:26 p.m., and Marsha Harris instructed Ramey to take the child into the air-conditioned preschool building.
Police Chief Bryan Watts said the child was conscious and talked to paramedics when they arrived about 2:30 p.m.
It was 81 degrees that day in West Fork, and the child's temperature was 97 degrees when she was discovered in the van, according to the report by West Fork officer John Paul Nelson.
The child's mother, Martha Salazar, was notified and arrived at the school with another family member. They spoke to school officials through a translator who works there, according to the police report.
An exam by Dr. Laurie Anderson of Northwest Physicians clinic in Springdale "did not find anything wrong" with the child, the report said.
Ramey told police she understood why the preschool had to fire her. She said the important part was that the child was OK, the report said.
J. Jason Boyeskie, the West Fork prosecutor, filed the preliminary charges and request for an arrest warrant on Thursday, after reviewing the report.
Amy Webb, a spokesman for the Arkansas Human Services Department, said Friday that child care licensing staff members from the agency visited Growing God's Kingdom on Sept. 10.
In a report that day from DHS investigator Melissa Myers, under the category of interim corrective action, it stated: "Facility is going to make changes to their transportation rosters and require teachers to sign off that the children have arrived in their room."
Also, an additional signature would be required from a staff member or director "to sign off that a second sweep of the van had been completed after children are taken to their rooms."
When asked for a comment Friday, Justin Harris referred a reporter to Legacy Consulting of Little Rock.
Shortly afterward an email sent on Harris' behalf said: "Since this is a legal matter pertaining to a former employee, I will refrain from making comment about this incident or the circumstances surrounding these recent developments. Our goal will be to continue to provide a safe, happy and loving environment for all of the children at Growing God's Kingdom."
Harris came under fire after reports by the Arkansas Times in March revealed that he and his wife, Marsha, had "re-homed" an adopted 5-year-old daughter to an employee of the day care who later raped her. "Re-homing" means giving a child to another family without going through state agencies such as the Human Services Department.
Eric Cameron Francis is serving a 40-year prison sentence after being convicted of two counts of sexual assault in the case.
The coverage prompted two pieces of legislation aimed at preventing similar "re-homing" instances.
Harris has said he's not running for re-election to the state House next year.
Metro on 10/10/2015