Updated at: 02/05/2010 1:34 PM | KSAX.com
By: Megan Matthews

State Investigates Daycare after Mother Reports Child with Severe Frostbite

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. - A mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, wants to get the message out of the danger of frostbite after she said her 17-month-old son allegedly came home from daycare with frostbite on nine of his fingers.

"I was very upset, and I was very sad," the mother, we'll call her "Jane," said.

On January 4, 2010, "Jane" said she dropped her son off at Sarah Bauer's home daycare at 13201 County Road 3 NE, Miltona, Minn. The temperature was around 22 below zero with windchill that day. When her husband picked him up something was wrong.

"He was screaming and screaming, and there was nothing that could comfort him," "Jane" said.

Nine of her child's fingers were peeling, red and swollen, which is a classic case of frostbite.

"I didn't even have a reaction at that point," "Jane" said.

After a trip to her pediatrician, "Jane" called Douglas County Social Services to report the incident to authorities.

"Authorities came and took pictures," "Jane" said.

Bauer's license is temporarily suspended, according to Minnesota Department of Human Services. Specific details of the suspension and investigation are confidential.

We called Bauer and asked her about the temporary suspension. She said, "I had gloves on the child, and we went outside."

Now "Jane" wants answers. "I would love to know what happened...but I don't know," she said.

"Jane" is trying to change a Minnesota Statue that doesn't list a specific temperature that's considered too cold for daycare providers to bring kids outside. It simply states "weather permitting."

"This is about the kids," "Jane" said.

Soon after "Jane" reported this incident to the state, Douglas County Social Services sent out a chart to all local daycares. It's a guideline for daycare providers showing them when it's too cold to take kids outside.

"When the temperature is a certain degree...not to take the kids outside," "Jane" said.

She wants "Gager's Law," named after her son, to follow the chart, and she wants to raise awareness of frostbite.

"It can happen, and it does happen. It's unfortunate that it happened to an innocent kid," "Jane" said.

One month and many doctor visits later, her son is still recovering.

"It's been a lot to stomach...and like I said there's days where it doesn't seem real still," "Jane" said.

"Jane" doesn't know what the future holds, and she's not sure how they'll pay the doctor bills. She just wants to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.

"My son is innocent, and he can't stand up for himself. He can't protect himself; he can't get the message out to the public to protect themselves, so as his mother I'm doing it for him," "Jane" said.

She doesn't want anything bad to happen to the daycare provider. This isn't about shutting her down.

Written for the web by Megan Matthews

megan@ksax.com