Daycare in Farmington Hills shuts down without notice to parents

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Outside the daycare Friday were just a few leftover toys and some furniture.

The doors were locked at the Kids Play and Stay Montessori in Farmington Hills.

"They knew this was coming, and they just didn't tell us parents anything," said LaToya Harvey, whose son's belongings are missing after the daycare closed.

It turns out the owner was evicted on Wednesday after falling behind on rent. On Friday, the daycare sat empty.

Harvey said she just wants her son's stuff back.

"Clothes, his blankets, his little stuffed animal, his pillows -- all of the stuff that belongs to him and our family," she said.

Local 4 went digging into owner Cheryl Robinson's history with the Department of Human Services (DHS). In June she was cited for a number of violations including:

-- Workers untrained for safe sleep and shaken baby syndrome
-- Uninspected outdoor play equipment
-- Workers not washing their hands after changing diapers

Harvey said the owner promised that, as a new business, she would offer competitive prices at about $600 a month. Now, all Harvey feels is cheated.

"As a parent, as somebody who pays to come here, our personal information is in documents that are all on the ground, and so we're upset, of course," she said.

Harvey said she plans to file a police report and try to get back her belongings.

The DHS says Robinson's corrective action letter was approved in July and another re-inspection would've taken place before December.

DHS says Robinson she could apply to open another daycare, but what happened at the Kids Play and Stay Montessori will be taken into consideration.

Local 4 was unable to reach the owner on Friday.


About the Author:

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism