Families Upset At DHS Over Closing Of Sapulpa Daycare Center

By Chris Wright, The News On 6

SAPULPA, OK -- Citing multiple violations, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services has shut down one of the largest daycare centers in Sapulpa.

Instead of applauding the decision, parents who sent their children to Christian Daycare and Preschool at 210 South Park Street in Sapulpa are outraged.

They say the center should never have closed.

"I was very upset, very upset," said Rita Andrews, grandparent of a child enrolled at Christian Daycare and Preschool.

"It's very shocking, upsetting," said Lindsey Dziannot, mother.

That was the reaction from several parents and grandparents after learning they could no longer take their children to Sapulpa Christian Daycare and Preschool.

DHS ordered it to close its doors last week, and parents of 105 kids were left scrambling.

"What am I going to do? How am I going to get to work tomorrow? Who's going to take care of my baby? Who would I trust with my child?" asked parent Lana Wright.

Sapulpa Christian Daycare and Preschool says this all started last May when three children on their playground were able to escape underneath a fence, and cross over to a Sapulpa church. The children were found at the church.

But the daycare's owner says the children were unharmed, the fence was immediately replaced, parents and the police were called, and the incident was self-reported to DHS.

"I know what had happened, and I still continued to trust these people to watch my kid. That's - it was hard," said parent Lindsey Dziannot.

"They did an awesome job looking after these kids. I never had a problem with them at all whatsoever," said Sherrie Johnson, whose grandchild was enrolled at the school.

The daycare's license was revoked in November, and a judge denied its appeal last week. The owners are not sure if they will ever be able to open their doors again.

"Everybody up here you know, is like a family. For that family just to disappear like that, it's traumatic on the children," Rita Andrews said.

"I miss this daycare already. I want to get him back here. He cries every time I take him to his new one," said Lana Wright, parent.

DHS confirmed that it did close the daycare, but The News On 6 was unable to discuss the specifics of the case with officials Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Sapulpa Herald newspaper, an official said that there were multiple complaints, and the center had chances to rectify the situation.