JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 1-year-old and a 3-year-old were left alone in an Arlington daycare for almost an hour, according to the children’s mother.
Danielle Mix said when she went to go pick up her children at Brown Bear Learning Center off University Boulevard, her 3-year-old son had to unlock the door to let her inside.
Mix said before that, her son pulled the fire alarm but the fire department never came.
“In about a good five minutes, I hear a fire alarm go off and I’m like okay I need to open this door. So I hear a click, I bang on the door and then Josiah is standing at the door just screaming, crying,” Mix said.
When she gets inside, she looks for a teacher and no one was around. She said she called one of the daycare’s employees, who told her that a teacher was in the bathroom, but when she went to look, no one was there either.
“I’m looking for the baby. I’m like where is King and then I look to the left and he’s in the daycare by himself just sitting by himself in his car seat. I’m on the phone with my husband like, ‘There’s nobody here,” Mix said.
The daycare facility was closed Friday.
Mix said she is heartbroken because they felt like they built a close relationship with the daycare since they have had three of their children attend the daycare.
“Just be mindful of who you’re dealing with. It is a business to watch your children and just be mindful. You never know what people have in their mind when it comes to your kids. Very scary situation,” Mix said.
The Mix family said the daycare has apologized but no arrests have been made.
They also said they hope this doesn’t happen to other families.