A THIRD daycare worker was taken into custody today in the case of 13 children left alone in an Orlando daycare centre.
Childcare worker Laqunda Hill turned herself into the Orange County Jail today and now faces 13 charges of child neglect, myfoxorlando.com said.
Yesterday afternoon deputies took Michele Bell and Laquanda King into custody. They are also accused of walking out on 13 children at the All Stars Child Care Centre.
Ms Bell and Ms King have bonded out of jail.
While Ms Bell did not want to comment, Ms King told myfoxorlando.com, “Ednita knew what was happening from the beginning. She already knew what was going on and we shouldn’t be faulted for her.”
Ednita Williams, owner of the Orlando daycare centre says she left the centre at 9.15am on Friday and when she returned 30 minutes later she discovered the kids were left all alone. “I feel disbelief that they could do something. They are all mothers, they all have kids. I’m in complete shock.”
Ms Williams says it was Michele Bells’ last day because of a dispute over a Department of Children and Families ( DCF) certification and unemployment benefits.
Nevertheless, Ms Williams said she paid all her employees for watching the kids, but Ms King disagreed.
Asked if she was owed money, Ms King replied “Yes”, specifying that the amount was over $US100.
Ms Williams said she couldn’t believe what happened. “There’s no reasonable reason they should do that, these are kids, they had nothing to do with anything. I don’t have any excuses for them.”
Ms Williams said she conducted both local and federal background checks before hiring employees. She was relieved none of her children were hurt and was grateful to a nine year old boy for watching over the other children while they were left unsupervised.
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