LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - Authorities are investigating after they say a woman was found taking care of 25 children in an illegal daycare in Lawrence earlier this month.
On Aug. 12 around 2 p.m., an officer spoke with a man who said he had picked up his three daughters from a daycare at 96 Bromfield St. about two hours prior when he noticed more than 20 children scattered throughout the house and only one woman taking care of them, according to a police report.
The man also reported that he smelled feces in the room that his daughters were in.
Officers responding to the apartment to conduct a well-being check saw two infants in a cradle on the kitchen floor and other children walking around in different rooms, the report read.
The report noted that the apartment was set up in a way that disregarded COVID-19 regulations.
Officers spoke with the woman, who allegedly stated that she was not running a daycare but was taking care of a few kids who have parents that run errands and work. She added that she was getting paid to watch the children, the report continued.
The officer informed her that she was running an illegal daycare and a responding sergeant ordered that the facility be shut down.
Police contacted the parents of the children in the apartment, who then picked up their kids, the report read.
Parents of two children who could not be reached were transported via ambulance to Lawrence General Hospital until they got a hold of a guardian and they were picked up, the report added.
The Department of Children and Families are investigating and no charges have been filed at this time against the woman accused of running the illegal daycare.
Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said this shows how badly childcare is needed during the pandemic, adding that parents are being forced to choose between their jobs and their child’s well being.
“I just want to make sure people didn’t take this moment and say, ‘Hey, they’re bad people doing bad things.’ They’re actually people in really tight spots.” he said. “I hope the state doesn’t fine them, and I’m talking both the parents and the people trying to run it, because they were just trying to fill a gap that right now doesn’t exist.”
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