Day Care Owner Carla Faith Faces Judge In Child Abuse Case
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) -- A woman accused of hiding children enrolled in her daycare in Colorado Springs appeared in court Thursday morning.
Carla Faith, 58, is charged with misdemeanor child abuse and attempting to influence a public servant. Parents have also filed a civil lawsuit.
Back in November, police got complaints about a child care facility called Play Mountain Place.
Officers got a warrant, and checked out the home. At first, they did not find anyone inside, but later found a false wall that led to a finished basement inside there were two adults and 26 kids, all under the age of three.
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After an approximately six week investigation, four people were arrested:
• Christina Swauger, 35, was charged with attempt to influence a public servant, a felony, and misdemeanor child abuse.
• Katelynne Nelson, 31, was charged with unlawful possession of a schedule II controlled substance, a felony, and misdemeanor child abuse.
• Valerie Fresquez, 24 years of age, was charged with misdemeanor child abuse.
Authorities have shut down a total of four facilities operated by Faith in Colorado Springs so far.
A lawsuit filed by parents claims breach of their duty of care to the children including, but is not limited to:
- Placement of children in the basement crawlspace;
- Failure to provide care for the children in a safe and appropriate location;
- Failure to perform background checks on staff and negligent hiring of staff;
- Failure to provide appropriate training for staff;
- Failure to provide appropriate supervision for staff;
- Failure to exercise reasonable care and reasonable supervision for the children; and
- Failure to comply with Colorado's Child Licensing Care Act and the rules of the Department.
- The children were too young to effectively communicate to the parents regarding the negligent care being provided by the defendants.