The owner of The Kids Nest Learning Center, Charles Grant, testified in late May that only two members of the staff were in the room when Bryant Jr. began choking, and only one of them was certified in CPR. He admitted that the staff did not follow the center or state’s rules as they were not monitoring the children as they ate.

Taylor Hicks, the grieving mother, said the center failed her son.

“We depend on you all to take care of our children to the best of your ability and if that was one of the rules, I feel like obviously you should have followed them,” she said.

Since there have been serious rule violations which “seriously affected the health and safety of children and demonstrated the intentional and reckless disregard for the physical and mental health and safety of children,” DECAL has taken steps to close The Kids Nest permanently. Grant at first appealed the decision but then changed his mind.

“Notice has been sent to the Office of State Administrative Hearings so that the case can be dismissed and court canceled. Since there is no longer an appeal, the center has officially been closed in our system due to the revocation of the license,” the statement read.

This is such a heartbreaking incident which could have easily been avoided. We are sending our condolences to the grieving family as they grapple with this major loss.