Crime & Safety

Urbandale Toddler Identified in Child-Care Death; Family Requests Privacy

The Polk County medical examiner found no evidence of trauma to the 13-month-old girl who died Friday afternoon at an Urbandale child-care home.

The toddler who died Friday afternoon in an Urbandale day-care home has been identified as Emma Bright, of Urbandale, said Urbandale Police Information Officer Randy Peterson.

When Bright's babysitter, Kimberly Kimmer, found that the child was not breathing shortly after 4 Friday afternoon, she ran to the home of a neighbor, Lynne VanWyk, and asked her to call 911, said Peterson. Apparently, Kimmer's phone was not working.

Kimmer, 4512 83rd St., and VanWyk ran back to the house and the dispatcher coached VanWyk on giving the girl CPR, but the child was deceased by the time police and rescuers arrived at 4:17 p.m.

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Peterson said the Polk County Medical Examiner's autopsy showed no evidence of any blunt force trauma, said Peterson. However, the medical examiner is still awaiting toxicology test results, which may take a few weeks, before reaching a final conclusion.

"We're not looking at any criminal charges unless the toxicology report says otherwise," he said.

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"The baby's family is wanting privacy at this time," he said, noting that the family declined to release a photograph of the baby. "The family is supportive of the day-care provider, as well. She's going through quite a bit," said Peterson, who said neighbors complained over the weekend about televisions crews on the street.

Kimmer has provided child care in her home for five years, but is not registered or licensed with the state of Iowa, said Peterson. That, however, is not illegal.

He said she normally has five children in care, but on Friday, she had three children in day-care in the house, as well as two older children of her own and a neighbor's child. 


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