Toddler's mother wants checks tightened at centre

Ruthie Simona has been waking at night almost hysterical. Photo / Supplied

The 2-year-old girl left alone at a childcare centre for two hours is traumatised and has been waking "almost hysterical" at night, her mother says.

Diane Simona dropped her daughter Ruthie at the Ta Fesilafai Aoga Amata in Beach Haven last Friday morning before she and her classmates were to go on a park visit.

But the toddler was left behind for two hours before it was realised she was missing.

Mrs Simona yesterday said: "The first couple of nights we couldn't sleep at all. For me it was all the things that could have happened, but she is still now waking up at two and three in the morning almost hysterical.

"The first couple of nights I know she was just really tired, you could just feel her twitchy ... She can't sleep in her own bed."

She said she hadn't taken her back to the centre and the family are worried how she may react going back.

Centre licensee Sonny Vagana said this week it appeared to be confusion about who was caring for the girl. However, Mrs Simona rejected suggestions a communication breakdown was to blame. Mrs Simona said she purposely signed Ruthie in to avoid confusion.

"Originally I was going to take her but things changed in the morning. I signed her in and physically handed her to another teacher."

If they had used the sign-in sheet for their checks it wouldn't have happened, she added.

Before the park visit she helped put some gazebos on the bus and then watched another parent carry Ruthie's bag on. She said a teacher told everyone that she saw Mrs Simona take Ruthie. "That's plainly not right."

Ruthie was in childcare so Mrs Simona could help care for her mother who had a stroke in January. Her father died at Easter.

Her 17-year-old son found Ruthie standing by the door, crying and a staff member's daughter smashed a window so they could get in.

Mr Vagana had called her every day to keep her updated with the investigation. She hoped the incident would get centre procedures tightened up.