Forsyth daycare shut down by GA DECAL after children were allegedly given Benadryl
Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning Bright from the Start program on Monday ordered the emergency closure of the Forsyth Methodist Church’s daycare, after a teacher there allegedly gave children Benadryl.
DECAL determined the Forsyth Methodist Church Caring for Kids Center in Forsyth violated several rules established under Georgia law after deputies alleged that a teacher at the daycare gave Benadryl to three 2-year-old children before lunch so they would sleep throughout nap time, according to an emergency order signed by Amy Jacobs, the commissioner for DECAL on Monday. The order says if the center continued to operate during the investigation, children would be in imminent danger.
Two teachers and the daycare director have been charged in the case.
Benadryl, or diphenhydramine, which most commonly treats allergies, cannot be given to anyone under the age of 6 without a doctor’s approval, according to the emergency order.
According to the sheriff’s office, a witness reported the incident to the daycare’s director, but the director did not report the incident to DECAL until three days later, when the allegations were posted on Facebook.
Accusations against Forsyth Methodist Church daycare
Kendasia Hughley, the teacher who allegedly administered the Benadryl, turned herself in on March 10 and was charged with six counts of child cruelty, all felonies, eight counts of simple battery, all misdemeanors, and two counts of reckless conduct, both misdemeanors.
Cathy Stevick, the daycare director and Shelby Webb, another teacher, were arrested Tuesday morning, Reg Griffin, the communications officer for DECAL, said.
Webb was charged with one count of cruelty to children, a felony, and one count of simple battery, a misdemeanor, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Stevick was charged with three counts of failing to report child abuse, all misdemeanors.
The Forsyth Methodist Church daycare was accused of violating the following state childcare regulations:
- Parental Approval for Administering Medicine: It requires specific written authorization from the child’s physician or parent, which should include the date, child’s full name, name of medication, prescription number, dates to be given, time of day to be dispensed and signature of a parent.
- Medication Dispensing Records: The daycare center should maintain a record of all medications dispensed to children, including the date, time and amount of medication administered, any noticeable adverse reactions to the medication and the signature or initials of the person administering the medication.
- Compliance with Law and Regulations: It requires the staff at the daycare center to not commit any criminal acts in the presence of a child enrolled in the center.
- Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse: The director or the person in charge of a daycare is ordered to report any suspected incidents of child abuse, neglect or deprivation to the local county Division of Family and Children Services.
- Discipline Policy: Personnel at the daycare center cannot inflict physical punishment upon a child and verbally abuse or humiliate them.
Emergency order for closure reveals new details
A staff member gave three children Benadryl on March 3 and 5 using syringes and medicine cups, according to the emergency order. After being informed of the teacher’s actions, the director of the daycare center ordered the teacher to complete a medication authorization form for the three children, which requires a parent’s signature and dates and times for the children to be given medicine and dosage amount, according to the emergency order. The forms must be initiated by the parents.
However, forms were allegedly not given to the parent before the incident. The parents of the three kids were also not notified the incident had occurred, according to the emergency order. There were no doctor’s notes from any of the three children.
The parents of the three kids observed their children being sluggish and “not normal” when they were picked up from the daycare center, according to the emergency order. DECAL, according to the order, said “it remains unknown how often and for what period of time the children were dispensed Benadryl while in care at the center.”
The order also said the daycare center didn’t react to the allegations in a timely manner after they were first reported.
“Center management did not take any disciplinary action against the staff member until law enforcement became involved,” the emergency order states. “It was reported that this same staff member has a disciplinary record with the center for past behaviors, including inappropriate discipline.”
DECAL’s emergency order also details further violations committed by staff members of the Forsyth Methodist Church daycare center, including raising their voices at children and handling children roughly by picking them up and throwing them on their mats.
According to the emergency order, the new allegations need to be further investigated. DECAL will also need time to review footage from the daycare center.
What’s next for the daycare center?
DECAL ordered the emergency closure of the daycare center “for a period of not more than 21 days.” The Forsyth Methodist Church daycare center is required to notify the parent or guardian of each child enrolled in the program of the order.
The Forsyth Methodist Church can appeal the decision, but it must be done within 48 hours of the order. Once the appeal is filed, let the emergency order will remain in full effect until vacated or residence by the commissioner of DECAL.
But if the order is affirmed by the Office of State Administrative Hearings, or if the daycare center doesn’t file an appeal, the order for closure will be final.
The daycare center is allowed a hearing, which it must request in writing within 48 hours of being given the order. Once DECAL receives the request, it will be immediately forwarded to the Office of State Administrative Hearings, which will set a date, time and location for the hearing.
The hearing would be held “as soon as possible after a request ... but in no event later tan 48 hours of such request, provided that a program may request such a hearing to be held earlier,” according to the emergency order.
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 12:55 PM.
