Owner of daycare hiding 26 kids behind a false wall charged with child abuse and neglect
After discovering 26 children hidden behind a false wall at a Colorado woman’s child daycare facility, police in Colorado Springs began working with the State’s Department of Human Services (DHS) to follow up on that woman’s December 23 arrest and subsequent criminal charges. Their joint investigation began on November 13, 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 adults’ 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, Newser reported that:
Three employees—Katelynne Nelson, 31; Christina Swauger, 35; and Valerie Fresquez, 24—were arrested on related charges.
Also on December 27, 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 and is scheduled to make a court appearance on January 2.
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 video accompanying this article.
(Source: Colorado Springs Police Department)
~ Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
