Daycare shuts down after child dies in van

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida daycare is closed for business as police open an investigation into how a worker left a toddler inside the company's van to die.

The Palm Beach County Health Department recommended owners of Katie's Kids Learning Center to shutter their doors Friday morning, and they voluntarily followed the recommendation. Now police are investigating what led to the death of 2-and-a-half-year-old Haley Brockington.

Parents dropped their children off at the center earlier that morning, despite the incident. Many of them said they had no choice because they have no one else to watch their kids. "If I was the driver, common sense would tell you to get all the kids out of the van," said Dana Mathis, who dropped off her 3-month-old son. "There's no excuse, that's how I feel."

Those parents later had to return to the daycare to pick up their children. Those who operate the center said they had no clue when they would open up again.

On Thursday, officers responded to 111 Southwest 10th Avenue to a call of a child found unresponsive in the rear of a van owned by the daycare.

Police said a daycare worker left Brockington in the vehicle, and she was not discovered until around 4 p.m., about six hours after the girl was picked up. The child was later discovered by an employee of the daycare center, who was preparing to drive the van. "I think it's safe to assume that a staff member left the child in the van, and we're looking at that," said Delray Beach Police Officer Jeff Messer.

Family friends of the toddler are outraged. "They picked the baby up from the parents' house this morning; that's all we know. The baby is supposed to be safe in the daycare's custody," said Paulete Robinson.

A daycare worker who did not want to be identified said it was an accident. "It  was an accident, it was a God's honest mistake." Other daycare workers spoke to investigators but did not want to comment publicly.

Police tried comforting loved ones at the scene, as investigators took Brockington's lifeless body away. "That's neglect, and if it would've happened to one of us, we would be in handcuffs right now," said Robinson. "They didn't notify the parents. They didn't let the parents see the baby."

Records show that the daycare passed a state inspection in April.

Police said they will continue their investigation and no one has been charged at this time.

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