Queens day care workers accused of altering immunization forms

A Syosset resident and three other employees at a children's day care in Queens face multiple charges, including for allegedly forging physicians' signatures on mandated immunization records and changing the expiration dates, according to the New York City Department of Investigation.

Yun Yu, 53, of Syosset, Syeda Hussain, 43, of Woodside, and Aferdita Pavli, 59, and Wassmah Yousafi, 46, both of Astoria, all employees at Bright Start Child Learning Center, were charged after a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection found a doctor’s signature did not match prior health forms, the investigation department said Tuesday in a news release.

The Staff Health Form, which includes a physician's signature, "shows the employee has been examined and cleared by a physician for various illnesses and immunizations," the release said.

The four each have been charged with felony falsifying business records and several misdemeanors, including criminal possession of a forged instrument, obstructing governmental administration and misrepresentation by a child care provider, according to the department.

"Day care employees in New York City must be cleared by physicians for work to protect the children in their care, and we will hold accountable those who evade this requirement by filing fraudulent health forms," Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber said in the release.

The four pleaded not guilty at their arraignments Monday in Queens Criminal Court and were released on their own recognizance. If convicted of the felony charge, they each could face up to four years in prison.

Attorneys for the four defendants could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Employees reached by phone at the Bright Start Child Learning Center said no one was available for comment and the day care center did not respond to an email Tuesday.

The case began after the city health department turned over records they'd reviewed at the day care center during a Jan. 31, 2023 inspection. The records showed the doctor’s signature on a 2022 staff health form for Hussain did not match an older form, according to the city Department of Investigation.

The doctor whose signature was purportedly on the form, said she had not signed the document, the department said, adding that Hussain told investigators the form had been forged.

The city requires day care center employees to submit medical forms every two years, showing they have been cleared by a doctor for certain illnesses and have updated records of immunizations.

Investigators also said expiration dates were altered on staff health forms for the other three employees.

Doctors listed on the other staff health forms told authorities they not screened the workers, but Yousafi, Yu and Pavli said they had seen the physicians listed and denied altering the documents.

The four defendants are scheduled to return to court in February.

"Employees at New York City’s day care centers perform the vital role of safeguarding our children and are required to follow all applicable laws and regulations," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. "These defendants are alleged to have skirted the law by filing falsified health forms, potentially putting children at risk."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.