Twinsburg — Since 1998, when his 5-month old daughter died from injuries she received at an unregulated family child care home, Twinsburg resident Lawrence Hall has worked to improve conditions and create accountability at child care facilities in Ohio.

Last month, he traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, to urge lawmakers to continue providing funding for Ohio child care facilities.

“The Child Care Development Block Grant is funding that states already receive,” said Hall, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association. “Our goal was to urge representatives and senators to sponsor a bill re-authorizing this funding, but we also want to see language of the bill changed to require more inspections of professional child care facilities.”

Full text available at the Twinsburg Bulletin.

A day care provider in Rugby is accused of striking, kicking or throwing six children in her care. Lori Ann Voeller says she knows she’s innocent, and refers other questions to her attorney. Voeller, 47, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing next Thursday on child abuse charges.

Full text available at KFYR-TV.

A day care worker was charged with murder in the death of a 1-year-old girl she was caring for in her home in August, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies arrested Stephanie M. Spurgeon, 37, of 830 Edgehill Drive, Palm Harbor, at her home at 9:15 a.m. today on a charge of first-degree murder after a 2 1/2-month investigation.

Full text available at The Suncoast News.