Day care center in Prospect Lefferts Gardens shuts down following abuse allegations
A former employee is facing criminal charges for endangering the welfare of two children, leaving parents mortified by what was caught on camera inside the facility.
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Eva Crèche Daycare Center, once a popular day care, is now the center of abuse allegations.
A former employee is facing criminal charges for endangering the welfare of two children, leaving parents mortified by what was caught on camera inside the facility.
“It was like the creme de la creme of the neighborhood,” said Katie, a parent in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. “So it was absolutely horrifying.”
Katie is one of many parents who were once on the waiting list at Eva Crèche Daycare Center—a place that once came highly recommended, but now has its doors closed.
She says the news makes her and her husband nervous about sending their almost 2-year-old son to any day care.
“It absolutely made us more nervous to send him anywhere before he can just report back what happened during his day,” said Katie.
According to a criminal complaint, back in October, 24-year-old Lindsay Olibrice was caught on camera forcibly carrying a 1-year-old baby from one playpen to another while his legs were caught in one.
In another incident that same day, she’s accused of swiping another 1-year-old with a broom to the face.
“She would hit the kids with phones,” said Anaiah Johnson, a former employee at the day care. “Books, pillows. If she didn’t feel like feeding the kids, she would throw out their food and tell the parents, ‘Oh yeah, they finished all of it.’”
Johnson was the one to report the alleged abuse to authorities and share videos of what was happening with parents.
“I know that I can’t just go to them and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, this is happening,’ without having actual proof,” said Johnson. “If I wanted something to get done about it.”
As the story continues to develop, questions about who else may bear some of the responsibility for what happened continue to be raised.
“Maybe have day care that has some oversight with cameras,” said Jonathan McKinney, a father whose children attend the day care next door to Eva Crèche. “Also, two-or-three-person accountability. I mean, there are strategies for lessening the exposure of a child to a single bad actor.”
Olibrice was released by a judge, but she’s expected back in court in April.
As for the owner of the day care and other employees, who Johnson says knew what was happening, no other charges have been filed.
