BOISE, Idaho — A Boise mother and former daycare employee is speaking out with serious allegations of abuse and neglect inside a West Boise childcare facility.
Alex Bruce first shared her concerns about CB Daycare in a viral Facebook post — and now, she’s speaking on camera for the first time, detailing what she says she saw during her one day working at CB Daycare.
"When I left, I said—I called my mom and I sobbed for an hour. I said, 'Mom, it's like prison for babies,'" Bruce said.
Bruce said it was her first — and only — day working at the facility on Fairview Avenue. A longtime childcare worker, she said she was stunned by what she witnessed in the toddler classroom.
"…from the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I experienced just a level of aggression in a daycare center from providers that I've never—I've never seen anything like it. …To me, I saw abuse being normalized throughout the day. I saw children being screamed at," she said.
Bruce said she also witnessed physical abuse. She told Idaho News 6 that staff members manhandled toddlers, ignored them when they were crying, and punished them for what she calls typical toddler behavior.
"Including my own son was handled roughly right in front of my eyes. He was like, yanked up and slammed into a chair. And the teacher yelled in his face, if you're not going to obey the rules. You're going to sit in timeout…. And he just ran to me and collapsed in my lap and started sobbing,” Bruce said.
She also recalled finding a toddler splashing in a urinal and another child playing with small objects that she said could have posed a choking hazard.
Since posting about her experience on Facebook, Bruce said dozens of parents have reached out — some sharing similar stories and others expressing concern or outrage.
"I've had several parents reach out to me saying that they've brought these same concerns to the owner multiple times, that their kids have gone either all day in the same diaper…” Bruce said.
CB Daycare owner Catherine Baremore declined an on-camera interview, but in a written statement to Idaho News 6, she denied all allegations. "CB Daycare firmly denies all claims suggesting any misconduct, specifically child abuse, within our facility. We are proud to operate in full compliance with all city and state regulations,” Baremore wrote.
Boise Police confirmed they are investigating a report filed on May 4 involving the daycare. They also responded to a separate vandalism call outside the facility the following day.
Public records show CB Daycare has passed five of its last six inspections, with one failure in 2023 due to outdated immunization records, according to Idaho Child Care Check.
Still, former staff members tell Idaho News 6 that the problems run deeper. Another former employee, who did not want to speak on camera, said she witnessed aggressive behavior from the owner, including around her own child.
"It’s systemic abuse—normalized abuse—that’s coming from the top down,” Bruce said.
Boise Police say the investigation is ongoing. Idaho News 6 has also reached out to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare regarding any licensing action or prior complaints connected to the daycare.
