Evening star., 1953-10-06

Join in Probe Of
Nursery Home Death
Montgomery County detectives
today entered the multi-pronged
investigation of what police de-
scrlbed as mysterious circum-
stances" surrounding the death
Saturday night of 4-year-old
boy in a Takoma Park nursery.
States Attorney Walter w.
Dawson said late yesterday he
would direct Detective Sergt.
William Whalen to investigate
the death of Joseph Kelly, son
of Mrs. Nancy Kelly of 1907
Twelfth street NV.
The boy was wheeled into
Washington Sanitarium Satur-
day night in a stroller four or
five hours after his death, Ia
koma Park police reported.
The body bearing two large
bruises and a number of small
ones, was brought to the hospital
by Mrs. Lois Sparks. who oper-
ates a home caring for about
eight children at 7505 Carroll
avenue, Takoma Park police re-
ported.
Sergt. Whalen said he plans
to question Mrs. Sparks today.
Reaction Is Prompt.
Reaction to the death report
yesterday was prompt among
State and county agencies and
brought these major develop
mentS:
/. Mr.. Dawson said a Mont
gomery County grand jury prob
ably would be given evidence in
the case.
2. Maryland State Welfare
Director Thomas j. S. Waxter
made a hurried inspection of the
home, found it to be '::immacu-
late" but said it was being op-
Grated as a nursery without a
license in violation of State reg
ulations.
8. County Councilwoman Mrs.
Stella B. Werner said she wanted
a report from A. Morton Thomas,
jr., county director of inspection
and licenses, on the Sparks home
and on the number Of unregu-
lated nurseries and day-care CEN
terS operating in the county.
AsphyxiatiOn Death.
DR.. Frank j. Broschart, county
medical examiner, early Sunday
issued preliminary death GER
tificate saying the child died
from asphyxia. He said the child
had vomited and was bruised.
The medical examiner said he
would withhold a final certifi-
cate until further examination
of specimens are made by the
State Department of Health. DR..
Broschart said he expected moth
ing new from the examinations.
According to Mr.. Waxter, who
made a trip here from Baltimore
to inspect the home, Mrs. Sparks
had three bedrooms upstairs
rented out to three mothers each
of whom had one child Mrs
Sparks cared for during the day.
In addition, Mr.. Waxter said,
Mrs. Sparks told him she boarded
three other children on a weekly
or monthly basis and cared for
two more during the day while
their mothers worked, Mr.. Wax
ter said facilities were good. but
there probably were too many
children there"
No Action on Report.
The State welfare department
had been holding a report for
warded to it by the county ir
August of a complaint concern
ing the Sparks establishment
The delay in the inspection was
caused by a staff shortage in the
licensing division, according tC
Miss Irene Olson, division chief
| Mrs. Sparks did not have q
license to operate as an institu-
ton, Mr.. Waxter said. He added
he had informed her how to ap-
ply and planned to submit a re-
port to the States attorney en-
phasizing she was operating ir
violation of State regulations.
Last April IL, another child
Beverly Ann Hall, 4, daughter OF
Mrs. Mary Ann Rakes, was
rushed from the Sparks home to
Children's Hospital where she
died two hours later Of pneumo-
mia and heart ailment, District
police records show. At that
time, Takoma Park police filed a
report on the home with the
county inspections chief.
! Mrs. Sparks asked Star re-
porter into her nursery today to
look around, but said she could
not comment on the death be-
cause the little victims mother
asked her not to discuss it. and
she promised she wouldn't.
Mrs. Sparks added that she
does not have an attorney to
speak for her. -