PARK SLOPE — A Park Slope child care center that's been closed indefinitely while authorities investigate allegations of caregivers abusing children has a troubling track record of violations, city records show.
Avalon Child Care on Fifth Avenue and 15th Street was closed on May 20 after videos surfaced showing caregivers apparently pulling a child by the hair or ear and pushing another child to the ground.
Avalon, one of the largest and most affordable child care centers in Park Slope, has a track record of violations that's higher than the city average, records show.
Over the past three years, health department inspectors found violations during 71 percent of Avalon's inspections, DOH records show. The citywide average is 43 percent.
The city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene suspended Avalon's license while the Administration for Children's Services looked into the alleged abuse, a spokesman for the DOH said.
Both of the workers in the videos were fired, center owner Thomas Mulvi told News 12 Brooklyn, which first reported the abuse allegations. Mulvi could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, Avalon's Park Slope location was still closed and phone messages seeking comment weren't returned.
Avalon also has higher than average staff turn-over and a lower than average number of caregivers for the children it serves, according to city inspection records.
The day care center’s violations since 2012 range from minor infractions to "public health hazards" that require immediate correction, according to DOH records.
Low level offenses have included using chairs or other equipment that wasn’t the right size for children. Serious violations included using “unacceptable forms of discipline,” though records don’t specify what that means. All of Avalon’s violations since 2012 have been corrected, DOH records show.
The center can serve up to 34 kids from infants to age 2. Avalon also has a Red Hook location that's still open and in the process of getting its license renewed, according to DOH records.
