Sep 1, 2007 11:42 am US/Eastern
Daycare Center Hell: 7 Children Found In Squalor
Owner Went To Florida, Left 14-Year-Old In Charge; Police Condemn Building
by Sean Hennessey
STAMFORD, Conn. (CBS) ―
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Perhaps most disturbing was the discovery of a child playing with an electrical socket on the wall.
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Piles of garbage and filth were found along the floors inside the center.
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Water dripped from a light fixture on the ceiling into open containers on the floor.
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Nails protruded from the stairs inside the center.
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Police found electrical wires protruding from the walls.
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Police made a disturbing discovery Friday after finding hazardous and filthy conditions inside of a licensed daycare center in Stamford, where they say children were taking care of children. The owner, who was apparently in Florida, now faces felony charges.
Authorities were tipped off on the suspicious center by a concerned parent. Social Services were called to the building on Thursday, but they were denied entry. Police were then called to the scene and once they entered they found a nightmarish situation.
Inside the dirty daycare center -- which had only been open for six months -- police say there were piles of garbage on the floor, the kitchen was a mess, and clothes were strewn everywhere. That's only the beginning.
Police also say there were numerous hazardous conditions for children, let alone adults:
• Water was dripping from a light fixture into a container down below
• Nails were protruding from a stairwell
• Electrical wires were exposed
• Mosquito larvae piled in a children's pool with standing water
Adding to the alarm, there was a child playing with an electrical socket on the wall when they arrived. All this found at a home where children were being cared for much to the shock of those living nearby.
Digg This Story!"I didn't think that it was a daycare. I thought it was a mom taking care of kids or something like that," said Adiriana Acevedo, who neighbors the center.
But there wasn't a mother taking care of children inside. In fact, there wasn't even an adult anywhere to be found.
"When we finally did get access there was a 14-year-old taking care of seven small children ranging in age from 9 all the way down to a 3-month-old infant," said Stamford Police Lt. Sean Collins.
It turns out the teen's mother was in Florida. She wound up leaving a 14- and 17-year-old in charge.
"Kids taking care of kids, and kids who've never had training to take care of kids, taking care of kids. So you put them in a vulnerable situation and it just creates tremendous opportunities for danger," said Robert Robinson, another neighbor.
Fortunately, none of the children were hurt, but their former play place has been condemned and the home's owner is now facing charges.
"If you're going to run a daycare, you have to have trained licensed personnel. None of these persons were," Collins said.
Connecticut Health Department officials tell CBS 2 HD they have suspended the license of Colette Barnes, the home's owner. She's facing felony charges of risk of injury to a minor.
Because most day care centers are inspected by the state once every couple of years, authorities says this situation underscores the need for parents and guardians to do their own unannounced inspections.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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