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July 23, 2012

Children found in daycare attic

Owner-operator arrested, charged with 1st-degree criminal abuse

The Times-Tribune

CORBIN — By Jeff Noble / Staff Writer

The owner-operator of a Barbourville daycare center was arrested Friday and charged with five counts of first-degree criminal abuse, after five children were found in the center’s attic, unattended.

Barbourville Police arrested 38-year-old Larinda Tuttle, owner-operator of Great Day Daycare on Allison Avenue, charging her with the criminal abuse counts, a Class C felony. She is jailed in the Knox County Jail.

Police were summoned just before 3 p.m. by an Inspector with the state Office of Inspector General, to help assist in investigating the daycare center. The inspector was there at Great Day Daycare to investigate a complaint that the center was operating without a license.

When the inspector arrived, the door of the center was closed and locked with nobody answering. After making several attempts at opening the door, the inspector called police to gain access. About 15-30 minutes after police arrived, a juvenile opened the door and told officers there was no one else inside.

Police then searched the building, and located in the attic five children under the age of 8.

Temperatures in the attic were in excess of 102 degrees after the attic was aired out. Barbourville police say it’s unclear how long the five children had been in the attic.

Officers then removed the five children from the attic and contacted state Department of Social Services. None of the children appeared to be suffering from any health problems, but parents were advised they may wish to seek medical attention for the children. As of Friday night, it’s not known how many or if any of the children were taken for medical care.

Before Friday, the daycare center was not licensed to operate and is closed for business.

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