Child abuse: Daycare owner hiding 26 kids behind false wall in basement gets jail time
Two years ago, Carla Faith, the owner of a Colorado Springs home child daycare center authorized to care for six children, was busted hiding a total of 26 children behind a false wall in her home’s basement. She was ultimately charged with numerous counts of child abuse and neglect. Today, those young victims are still suffering from the trauma, according to Newsweek.
This August, a jury convicted Faith of more than two dozen misdemeanor child abuse charges plus additional crimes associated with her mishandling of the children. On October 22, the judge overseeing her trial sentenced the former daycare owner to six years in behind bars. One of the parents said that her two kids, victims of Faith’s “Mountain Play Place Day Care” operation, are still receiving counseling – two years following their enrollment at the daycare.
“We sleep with the lights on in our house. My kids are anxious. They are fearful of the world,” the mom said.
After discovering 26 children hidden behind a false wall at the Colorado daycare facility, police in Colorado Springs began working with the State’s Department of Human Services (DHS) to follow up on Faith’s December 23, 2019, arrest, and subsequent criminal charges. Their joint investigation began on November 13, 2019, when DHS asked the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) to assist in conducting a welfare check at the Play Mountain Place, a local daycare, after receiving complaints that the facility was housing more children in their care than their licensed allowed.
When officers arrived, there weren’t any children to be seen at the licensed facility. Officers then attempted to contact the owner of Play Mountain Place at her residence, which is located on the same property as the daycare facility.
The owner, 58-year-old Carla Faith, refused to cooperate with officers; however, police could hear the sounds of children coming from her home. During their investigation, officers found a false wall that led to the home’s basement. When officers walked down the stairs, they located two adults and 26 kids inside a finished basement, all of who were under the age of three-years-old.
Police said that most of the children were found in deplorable condition and were, “sweating, visibly dehydrated and with wet or soiled diapers,” according to KNX 1070. Officers immediately began working with DHS to release the children back to their parents.
Three adult workers at the daycare were arrested for misdemeanor Child Abuse relating to neglect. However, Carla Faith was not arrested on the scene, as detectives continued their investigation and prepared suitable charges against her. On December 27, 2019, Newser reported that:
Three employees—Katelynne Nelson, 31; Christina Swauger, 35; and Valerie Fresquez, 24—were arrested on related charges.
Also on December 27, 2019, USA Today reported that following a six-week long investigation, Faith was arrested in Colorado Springs on suspicion of two counts of reckless child abuse without injury and a single count of trying to influence a public servant. She was released from jail after posting bond.
Faith owned and operated a total of four childcare facilities in Colorado Springs, all of which have now been closed down. Colorado’s DHS reported that she previously owned other day care facilities in California which had to be shut down for similar reasons.
For more on the story, see the videos accompanying this article.
(Source and Carla Faith Booking Photo, Image credit: Colorado Springs Police Department)
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~ Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
