LATHROP – Lathrop Mayor Kristy Sayles has filed an appeal in response to the state’s legal action seeking the revocation of her home child care license.
Sayles, whose attempt to seek a third term as mayor in the November 2 elections was thwarted by a strong showing in the polls by J. “Chaka” Santos, met the deadline by filing the appeal within the 15-day period following the state Department of Social Services’ request for a temporary suspension order, said department spokesman Michael Weston on Friday.
Weston described the appeal as “a notice of defense” in which Sayles has to enumerate the reasons why her license should not be revoked.
The next step will be a hearing date before an administrative law judge who will make the determination. The hearing does not necessarily have to be held in Sacramento, Weston said. “It can be held anywhere in the state,” he said. However, he was not sure where the hearing for Sayles’ case will be held.
Westin added that Sayles’ home-based day care will “remain closed until a decision is made by the administrative law judge.”
He said the appeal was filed by Kristy Sayles alone. The state’s report does not indicate that her husband, Thomas Xavier Sayles, is also named in the business license for the child care.
According to the state department, Kristy Sayles’ child care operation has been licensed since June 30, 2000 and has a capacity of 14 children.
The state department made the move to close down Sayles’ child care business and to request that her business license be revoked based on two alleged incidents of child abuse in her home. The reported abuse cases did not involve any of the children enrolled in the day care, according to the state. The two physical child abuse incidents cited involved a young son of Sayles from a previous marriage. The first alleged incident occurred on March 22, 2008 and the second one happened last Oct. 4 while the mayor was presiding over a city council meeting.
After the mayor reported the last incident to police, Thomas Sayles was arrested on Oct. 5 and booked into San Joaquin County Jail. He is currently free on bail that was reduced to $25,000 from an original $50,000 with the felony child abuse charges reduced to a misdemeanor. The court case is continuing.
In seeking a revocation of Kristy Sayles’ business license, the state department alleged that she “failed to protect children from physical and mental abuse by Thomas Sayles.”
In addition to the license revocation, the department has filed a request that Thomas and Kristy Sayles be excluded “from employment in, presence in, and contact with clients or any facility licensed by the department.”
Sayles, whose attempt to seek a third term as mayor in the November 2 elections was thwarted by a strong showing in the polls by J. “Chaka” Santos, met the deadline by filing the appeal within the 15-day period following the state Department of Social Services’ request for a temporary suspension order, said department spokesman Michael Weston on Friday.
Weston described the appeal as “a notice of defense” in which Sayles has to enumerate the reasons why her license should not be revoked.
The next step will be a hearing date before an administrative law judge who will make the determination. The hearing does not necessarily have to be held in Sacramento, Weston said. “It can be held anywhere in the state,” he said. However, he was not sure where the hearing for Sayles’ case will be held.
Westin added that Sayles’ home-based day care will “remain closed until a decision is made by the administrative law judge.”
He said the appeal was filed by Kristy Sayles alone. The state’s report does not indicate that her husband, Thomas Xavier Sayles, is also named in the business license for the child care.
According to the state department, Kristy Sayles’ child care operation has been licensed since June 30, 2000 and has a capacity of 14 children.
The state department made the move to close down Sayles’ child care business and to request that her business license be revoked based on two alleged incidents of child abuse in her home. The reported abuse cases did not involve any of the children enrolled in the day care, according to the state. The two physical child abuse incidents cited involved a young son of Sayles from a previous marriage. The first alleged incident occurred on March 22, 2008 and the second one happened last Oct. 4 while the mayor was presiding over a city council meeting.
After the mayor reported the last incident to police, Thomas Sayles was arrested on Oct. 5 and booked into San Joaquin County Jail. He is currently free on bail that was reduced to $25,000 from an original $50,000 with the felony child abuse charges reduced to a misdemeanor. The court case is continuing.
In seeking a revocation of Kristy Sayles’ business license, the state department alleged that she “failed to protect children from physical and mental abuse by Thomas Sayles.”
In addition to the license revocation, the department has filed a request that Thomas and Kristy Sayles be excluded “from employment in, presence in, and contact with clients or any facility licensed by the department.”
