JOHNSON COUNTY— A Johnson County mom has started a push online to protect kids in daycares.
In Oct., Rachel Drabick's five-month-old daughter suffered a fractured femur in the care of her babysitter.
“Betrayed and a little bit helpless like you’ve let your child down,” said Drabick. “You have a little bit of mom guilt, you think you did everything you could to make sure your child is in a safe space.”
Drabick was taking her daughter to an in-home daycare.
“We can get references that are glowing, we can check their certifications and licensures, you don’t truly know a person until something like this happens,” said Drabick.
Now, she created a petition to implement mandatory surveillance cameras in childcare facilities across Indiana.
"The cameras are impartial. I think they can also dissuade abuse. If it were to happen, there’s the proof right there and it can’t be disputed,” said Drabick.
While it is not a requirement by the state, some learning facilities do it on their own, including Early Learning Indiana.
We made the decision to implement cameras with audio and visual ability in our classrooms just over a year ago,” said Erin Kissling, the chief learning officer.
Kissling says they installed the cameras to protect kids and their employees. The cameras are used for internal use.
“Our footage is not monitored continuously. It’s only monitored when we need to go back and see what we might need to see in a classroom,” said Kissling.
Kissling says parents ask about cameras when they come tour their facilities. The only concern she’s heard is about data protection.
Kissling says the cameras they use are NDAA compliant and were vetted for keeping data secure.
Drabick says her petition has been emailed to Governor Holcomb. Her next step is to start reaching out to state lawmakers.
