TRI CITIES -- This story started with a records request. I compiled five year's worth of inspection records for every day care complaint in Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla Counties.

Those records came from the Department of Early Learning (DEL). I then investigated only the valid findings and then narrowed my search down to a handful of daycares with a history of complaints.

New Horizon daycare providers Nicolas Zavala and Marta Escalera said they've received high marks on all of their reviews and pride their Prescott daycare on its transparency. They take care of 82 kids. In the last five years they've received five complaints. But each complaint can raise several issues. New Horizon racked up 38.

"It looks as if 38 is a lot," Zavala said, an employee at New Horizon. "I'm not saying they're not important. They are important and we are correcting on those and improving and correcting our care for the children."

A 2005 report from the Department of Early Learning (DEL) reveals a toddler was pushed, injuring her arm, but said Escalera "did not pay attention". Later a doctor ruled the child's arm was broken. In a strikingly similar case one month earlier, the same report reveals a child started crying because she couldn't move her arm. The paperwork states Escalera denied anything was wrong and that there was no report from the daycare. That child ended up having a broken elbow.

"Very serious accident? No, probably normal in the child's life, running and broken arm," Escalera said, Director for New Horizon. "It's serious but nobody died. Until this moment, only accidents, broken arms."

That's two broken arms in two months. There are other startling trends where licensors say New Horizon failed to provide proper nutrition and care. One report alleges a worker called children "animals." She reportedly made it a habit of forcing pacifiers into baby's mouths. The state says Escalera was aware and did nothing. In that same report, a different classroom teacher is alleged to have plugged a child's nose to make him swallow milk. This incident was also reported to Escalera but the state says she did nothing until she found out Child Protective Services (CPS) was going to investigate. Then she suspended the teacher.

"Is this daycare safe?" I asked.
"Yes," Escalera said.

Zavala and Escalera said they've corrected every action. And even then, they argue, it's not that many complaints over five years.

"We also need to put it in perspective, not get alarmed I guess." he said. "That's really sad to think that someday that could happen, that somebody could die because of negligence or an accident...and that's why we care for the kids because we try to prevent those cases."

KinderCare Learning Center in North Richland cares for 164 kids but refused my requests for an on-camera interview. In fact, a spokesperson out of Portland refused to answer specific questions about any specific incidents, even though I counted 21 complaints, and 72 valid issues. Such as a 2008 DELl report that calls into concern at least three teachers who are not qualified to be around your kids. They don't have a H.S. diploma - which is required - and it said, some have been working for several years without being qualified. Just last month, I still found areas where KinderCare was out of compliance; they didn't have proper background checks.

And last year, a teacher left a child outside alone. A similar thing happened two years earlier. The state report shows a teacher was fired after a worker let a kid wander outside.

To explain, KinderCare spokesperson Beth Woodward sent a media statement. We have attached the statement in full:

"Our highest priority is to ensure the safety and well being of the children in our care. We have established policies and procedures in place that are designed to deliver on this guiding principle. These include:

We are mandatory reporters and have clearly defined reporting policies in place that require our staff to report as required to the Washington Department of Early Learning.
We take every concern very seriously and work closely with the state to support any investigation, while conducting an internal investigation of our own.
Our staff participates in regular training on our strict policies implemented through our Quality Foundations Standard Operating Procedures and Health & Safety guidelines.
We have a designated Health and Safety Coordinator to insure that state licensing requirements are met or exceeded at all times. Our Coordinator provides regular coaching and mentoring to staff regarding health, safety and personal care routines for all children.
Our teachers go through a comprehensive hiring process which includes a background check and reference checks.

Our center management teams are committed to providing a safe and happy environment for the children in our care and are working hard to deliver on that promise.

Statement regarding the June 2003 complaints and probationary license
The citations issued nearly six years ago, in June 2003, immediately lead to changes at our North Richland center. These included changes to center management and staff, regular training for all center personnel on health and safety issues, greater oversight of the center by regional leadership, improvements to center facilities, and review of our records management practices. We partnered closely with the Washington Department of Social and Health Services to address these issues."

To ensure those policies are being followed, DEL licensors visit family home child care providers at least once every 18 months, child care centers at least once a year.

"We're going to one, make sure the children are safe, if we need to take action the department will do that," DEL licensor Debbie O'Neil said. "Bottom line we want to assure parents that their kids are safe when the drop them off."

So how can you know they're safe when you drop them off?

Make appointments with daycare providers. Check them out in person. There are checklists offered by the DEL. You can start by going to the Department of Early Learning website at www.del.wa.gov and follow the "complaint history" link. You can search by a day care or a county or even call local licensors.

To call for a licensing history: 1-866-482-4325

To find child care resources immediately you can call the Washington State Child Care Resources and Referral Network at 1-80-446-1114 or go to their website at www.childcarenet.org.

Keep in mind, Action News has been tracking the most serious complaints but licensors can write up daycares for things that are smaller like paper cups on the ground, old equipment and sign in sheets where parents haven't written their whole name.