Seattle child care teacher secretly dosed toddlers with melatonin, state finds

A longtime teacher at a Seattle child care center secretly gave 1-year-olds melatonin to sedate them, according to findings by the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

The teacher admitted to giving the over-the-counter sleep aid to at least four of the babies in her class at SEED Early Childhood School at Temple Beth Am in Ravenna after a colleague reported witnessing it to the administration, said executive director Davida Sims.

"It was a complete shock to us," Sims said. "Not only was this a veteran teacher, it was kind of a beloved teacher who was a community member and babysat a lot of people's kids."

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Read the state's report below.

The teacher was fired, Sims said, as was a former co-teacher who observed the drugging on at least one occasion but didn't report it, as required by law.

It is illegal for child care providers to give medication without parent permission, and sedatives also require a doctor’s note.

"I remember always noticing when I was in that classroom — and I feel naïve saying this now — but remarking to myself, 'Wow, these children take a heck of a nap.' They'd sleep for a solid two, three hours. We'd have to rouse some of them," said Manya Gorman-Knutson, a former teacher at SEED who assisted in different classrooms.

It's unclear how many children were given melatonin, and how often, during the teacher's seven years at the school, Sims said, but it took place from mid-2022 through 2023.

State child care licensors have taken corrective action against SEED, including requiring medication management retraining for staff.

Child Protective Services conducted its own investigation, said Jason Wettstein, spokesperson for the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

"We will not be notifying the police," Wettstein said. "The facility has taken steps to resolve the issues, and we will monitor to ensure they follow through."

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As melatonin use in children has skyrocketed in recent years, so have accidental overdoses. Doctors say parents should consult a pediatrician before giving it to children, and warn that the long-term effects of the synthetic hormone are not known.

"It was heartbreaking," said Arin Sumerwell, after she learned what had happened at her child's school, although not in her child's class.

"What else don't we know about now?" Sumerwell said. "Is there more going on under the surface and people are not reporting or sharing it? And what could that be?"

Sumerwell said she and her wife pulled their child from the school after learning of the melatonin incidents, among other issues.