Evening star., 1946-08-27
Death Of Baby
Brings Inquiry
IntoNursery
RiverduIe Womun's
License Reported
Revoked Recently

Revoked Recently
Prince Georges County police and
welfare authorities today launched
an investigation in the case of q
4-month-old baby who died yester-
day, within five minutes after being
admitted to Children's Hospital
from a Riverdale (Md.) nursery
whose license, according to county
officials, had been revoked about
three months ago.
The child, Richard Byron CHASER
was the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Isa-
dore CHASER, 1893 Seventeenth
street NV Hospital physicians
tentatively listed the cause of
death as "acidosis and dehydration.
apparently caused by acute diar-
rhea."
DR.. James I. Boyd. deputy county
medical examiner, said be will per-
form an autopsy today at the Dis
trict Morgue.
Children's Hospital physicians
said the baby was brought in by its
mother shortly after II am. and
died soon afterward. despite the
use of an oxygen tent and respira-
tory Stimulants.
Although the parents refused toI
comment when called today, hospi-
tai physicians said Mrs. CHASER told
them she and her husband had
placed the baby in the nursery, op-
Grated by Mrs. Ora MacGuire, ATS
Oliver street, about three weeks ago.
She told physicians she and her
husband visited the nursery Sunday
and were disturbed by the baby's ap-
pearance but that Mrs. MacGuire, /
while admitting that the child was
Ill, assured them the baby would be
better off, with her for the time
being.
Early yesterday, however, accord
ing to Mrs. CHASER, they received
telephone call from Mrs. MacGuiret
advising them to take Richard to
the hospital at once.
Mrs. Dorothy Ogburn. executive
secretary of the County Welfare
Board, said Mrs. MacGuire received
license to operate a nursery about
year and half ago.
After an investigation by welfare
workers. Mrs. Ogburn said, Mrs.
MacGuire was called into Circuit
Court about a year ago to show
cause why her license should not be |
revoked.
Another Chance Urged.
The court recommended that Mrs.
MacGuire be given another oppor-
tunity to show she was capable of |
operating nursery and the Welfare
Board granted her a provisional
license, Mrs. Ogburn said.
About three months ago. accord
ing to the welfare official, the pro-
visional license expired and was not
renewed.
Mrs. Ogburn said Mrs. MacGuire
had been warned to close her estab-
lishment and send the babies under
her care back to their parents, but
apparently had failed to do so. She
said she plans to ask States Attor-
ney A. Gwynn Bowie today to close
the nursery and take appropriate
action against Mrs MacGuire.
Mrs. Ogburn explained it was i'm
possible to maintain a constant
check of the establishment and that
workers from her office last visited
the nursery about two weeks ago.
Doctor Advised Change.
Mrs. Mcclure said Mrs. CHASER
told her when the baby was placed
in the nursery three weeks ago it
had suffered from diarrhea and
that II an attack recurred to put
the child on a special diet.
She said the baby became i'll last
week and her physician advised
change in diet. She added the child
got better, but suddenly became
worse Sunday.
Mrs. MCGUIRE said she called her
physician again yesterday and he
ordered change back to the orig
inal formula. She said he also told |
her to call the child's mother and
Children's Hospital
Claiming she still has license
to operate a nursery, Mrs. MacGuire
said there was some talk" OF re-
voking it three months ago but
nothing was done.
Says Place Was Inspected.
She said Mrs. Ogburn had never
visited the nursery but DR.. Boyd |
inspected it when she started it |
three years ago and approved the
establishment.
Mrs. MacGuire has a year-old girl, |
a l4-month-old boy and a 9-month- |
old boy at the nursery. She said /
the parents of the three children |
as well as her parents, also live
there.
Declaring she feeds the children
the formulas prescribed by their
physicians, Mrs. MacGuire said she
has never received any complaints
from parents and none of the
children, other than the CHASER
baby, has been sick.
She said she operated a nursery
in Washington for nine years before
opening one in Riverdale.