How did 5-year-old drown at Clermont camp for kids with disabilities?

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities is looking into the drowning death of a 5-year-old girl at Camp Allyn on Thursday.

The department was notified within four hours of when Kylie Griffin was found submerged in a pond at the day camp for children with disabilities in Batavia Township, said Kerry Francis, chief public information officer for the department.

Kylie had wandered away from a playground 84 yards away from the fenced pond. Both the pond and the playground are on the Batavia Township premises of Camp Allyn, which is run by Stepping Stones.

Camp workers said Kylie, whose disability has not been specified, was among a group of kids with staff members at the playground before staff lost sight of her.

Executive director Chris Adams said Stepping Stones was providing services to campers and staffers after Kylie's death but said he was "very busy" and could not go into specifics.

The Enquirer also contacted Jeremy Vaughn, president of the board of trustees for Stepping Stones, but has not received a response.

The nonprofit, which according to its website is a United Way partner and a Better Business Bureau-accredited charity, charges $48 per day for the summer camp for children 5-12.

Adams previously told The Enquirer that on average the day camp has 40 participants a day. The camp has about two staff members for every two campers, and volunteers, Adams said.

Though the state dictates student-to-teacher ratios and other requirements for year-round day cares, very little regulation seems to exist for summer camps, even those serving children with disabilities.

Who monitors day camps?

Camp Allyn is registered with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, but the organization does not do on-site safety inspections of the camp.

Every year, Jobs and Family Services randomly selects 40 percent of registered child day camps and requires them to submit employee background information to the agency. Camps are required to pay a fee and fill out a registration form by March 15 every year.

In the registration form, child day camps must agree to a set of seven rules laid out in the Ohio Revised Code but none of the rules apply directly to camp safety.

Camp Allyn is licensed through the Clermont County Department of Health, which is responsible for annually inspecting the camp, its public swimming areas, and the camp's food services.

The department last inspected the camp on July 6 and found no violations, Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit said.

There is a list of 12 safety rules that the agency requires Camp Allyn to follow, according to the Ohio Administrative code.

These rules include that water recreation areas must be supervised and playground equipment must be maintained and safe.

Nonprofit operates 3 campuses

Stepping Stones has been running summer day camps for children with disabilities since its establishment in 1963, its website states.

The nonprofit also provides programming for teens and adults.

In January 2014, Stepping Stones partnered with United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cincinnati to combine services and facilities and create three campuses in Southwestern Ohio, according to its website. The three campuses are: Given Campus in Indian Hill, Allyn Campus in Batavia, and the United Cerebral Palsy Campus in Norwood.

The nine-week summer day camps are offered at the Allyn and Given campuses.

The organization spent $56,470 for Camp Allyn program services to serve 350 to 450 individuals with disabilities in 2013, according to Stepping Stones' 990 income tax form.

Stepping Stones spent $2.9 million total in 2013 for services and activities for individuals with disabilities and their families, according to the form.

Stepping Stones received more than $4.3 million in revenue in 2013.