A three-month-old baby died at a private daycare center in Pingtung, and the county has come down hard on the center and its staff — bad news for the operator, and a warning to childcare providers across Taiwan.

• The baby lost its heartbeat during a nap in early August and could not be saved.
• Investigators found three caregivers put the under-one-year-old to sleep face down, left a baby who cannot hold a bottle to feed itself, and left the care area unattended for long stretches.
• The center was fined the maximum amount, ordered to close for a year, and will have its name and owner made public.
• The caregiver most at fault is banned from working in child welfare facilities for 30 years; the other two are banned for 15.
• The shutdown starts in two months so the other children have time to move, with weekly inspections until then and one-on-one help for parents finding new places.

Outlook: County officials will match the remaining families with licensed daycare centers or home caregivers and help transfer their childcare subsidies, while the criminal investigation continues.