By: Emma Wheeler | WCTV Eyewitness News
July 9, 2018
ECHOLS COUNTY, Ga. (WCTV) — A local day care is facing an emergency closure by the state after authorities said someone living there is now charged with child molestation.
“Appalled, ashamed, we had no idea something like this was going on around here,” said Tracy Ricks. Ricks lives nearby the Dawn Barnhart Family Childcare Learning Home.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning shut down the facility on Friday. It happened after local police notified the department, saying someone living at that home had been arrested and charged with child molestation.
“You don’t think anything like that being in your commnity, it being so small. You think you know everything,” Ricks said.
The home is located off of State Highway 376 in Lake Park.
The day care is licensed to care for six children. Right now the case remains under investigation. Authorities have not released which person living in the home is facing charges.
“You think you know everyone here, it’s such a tight-knit community and you’re friends with everyone,” said Ricks’ daughter Kayla Ricks. “You think you know somebody but you really don’t, it’s shocking.”
The owners of that daycare now have until Tuesday afternoon to appeal the closure, but Ricks said as a mother, she hopes the doors stay closed.
“It makes it even worse, because I would hate to know that my children went there and something like that happened,” Ricks said.
We reached out to the childcare center Monday but were unable to leave a message.
Parents in need of new, safe child care can contact the Georgia Department for Early Care and Learning and find-child-careAllGAKids.org.
By: WCTV Eyewitness News
July 9, 2018
LAKE PARK, Ga. (WCTV) — The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) says a home childcare in Lowndes County has been shut down after a resident in the provider’s home was arrested for child molestation.
An Order for Intended Emergency Closure was issued by DECAL on Friday for Dawn Barnhart’s Family Childcare Learning Home, located at 786 Highway 376 in Lake Park.
DECAL says these types of emergency closure orders are issued “when it is determined that the health, safety, or welfare of children may be in imminent danger.”
We are working to confirm the name of the suspect arrested and the details surrounding the charges.
We have placed a call to the number provided for the childcare but were unable to reach the business owner.
This is a developing story. We will bring you more information as it becomes available.
(WCTV)
