Honk News- Jennifer Moser, a resident of Dickinson and the owner of KinderKidz Daycare, along with three staff members — Jordan Casson, Angela Kunz, and Susan Bosch — is currently facing criminal charges related to allegations of neglect and the failure to report suspected abuse at the daycare’s Bismarck site.
Authorities allege that minors under their supervision experienced harm that was overlooked or insufficiently managed, prompting worries regarding adherence to regulations designed to protect children.
A child came back from KinderKidz displaying noticeable bruises on their thigh, as stated in affidavits. Authorities claim that the harm happened when an employee held the child with excessive force while changing their diaper.
Despite the employee’s admission of their actions, management opted not to inform the authorities as required by law, instead deciding to reassign the employee to a different classroom. Further accounts concerning other minors, featuring mysterious bruises and injuries purportedly resulting from staff actions, are also outlined in legal documents.
Detective Taylor Roman from the Bismarck Police Department has written affidavits backing the charges, claiming that KinderKidz management did not adhere to required reporting laws.
Roman’s documents assert that management often addressed complaints by shifting staff around instead of alerting law enforcement or child welfare agencies. Roman emphasized that this method did not sufficiently safeguard children in care and constituted breaches of North Dakota law.
Moser and her co-defendants are facing charges that encompass failure to report child abuse, classified as a Class B misdemeanor, along with child neglect, which is categorized as a Class C felony.
If found guilty, consequences may include financial penalties, required assessments, or even jail time. Prosecutors contend that Moser, as the owner of KinderKidz, held the primary responsibility for ensuring the daycare’s compliance with state laws related to child safety and mandatory reporting.
The legal matter was formally submitted in October 2024, assigned Case No. 08-2024-CR-03283. As October drew to a close, criminal summonses were issued, and Moser along with her co-defendants pleaded not guilty.
The acceptance of rights and the waiving of court appearances enabled the defendants to avoid attending in-person arraignments. Since that time, the legal process has been characterized by various procedural motions, including a successful request from the defense to have the case assigned to a different judge.
Prosecutors, under the guidance of Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Gabrielle J. Goter, have shared discovery materials with the defense, which encompass victim impact statements, photographs depicting injuries, and statements from staff members.
Prosecutors claim that this evidence reveals a wider trend of neglect at the daycare and consistent shortcomings in meeting mandatory reporting requirements. The defense has stated that it will contest the evidence while upholding the innocence of Moser and the other defendants.
Reports indicate that one child came home with bruises on their lower back, and another had bruises on their ribcage. Prosecutors claim that in every case, the staff and management at KinderKidz neglected to properly document or report the injuries as mandated by law.
Prosecutors have emphasized wider concerns about adherence to mandatory reporting laws, referencing affidavits that detail slow or inconsistent reactions to complaints. The court filings from the State’s Attorney’s Office reveal a total of 60 individual witnesses, all of whom may be summoned to testify if the case advances to a jury trial.
Hearings are set for early 2025, with a preliminary hearing on January 6 anticipated to assess if there is enough evidence to move forward to a jury trial. A concluding dispositional conference is scheduled for March 10, with a jury trial anticipated to commence on March 18.