5-Month-Old Baby Found Dead at Unlicensed Daycare Center
In Jacksonville, Florida, a 5-month-old girl passed away on Thursday at St. Vincent’s Medical Center South, after being in an unlicensed daycare facility.
About the Infant’s Death
Homicide detectives and Florida’s Department of Children and Family are investigating this tragedy. On Friday afternoon, DCF issued a cease and desist order to the home which ordered the daycare center to close.
The News 4 Jax, learned that a Bishop Cleo Bentley Jr. lives in the home where the 5-month-old was found. He was not at the residence during the time of the child’s death. The police were called to the home when, a 17-year-old girl went to check on the child and discovered the child was not breathing.
The 17-year-old and her mother were watching not only the 5-month-old girl, but seven other children who were also in the home. The parents and family members of the children in the home were immediately notified after the accident.
Findings of the Investigation
After the death of the infant, the Florida Department of Children and Families sent an order to shut down the daycare center.
After authorities arrived and everyone was notified the DCF issued a statement saying that they had “never been called to the home before and that they were doing two separate investigations both a death investigation and an investigation into the claims that the home was operating as an unlicensed daycare facility.”
According to the Jacksonville’s Sheriff’s office, Sgt. Jay Farhart said “There was one adult here at the time when the infant died. There was one teenager here. The adult had left for a bit. The child passed away while the teenager was here.”
After an autopsy was done on Friday, Sgt. Farhart said that no foul play was suspected during the child’s death. Both the DCF and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said that they will continue to work together as more details emerge about this tragedy.
