POLICE: Woman gunned down after dropping kids off at day care

<br>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) _ A mother was shot to death Tuesday moments after dropping off her two daughters at a day care center. A suspect was in custody. <br><br>Labertha Bethford, 19, had just

Tuesday, May 22nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) _ A mother was shot to death Tuesday moments after dropping off her two daughters at a day care center. A suspect was in custody.

Labertha Bethford, 19, had just left her daughters, ages 2 and 3, at the Cradle Nursery and was going back to her car with her son when a gunman shot her in the back several times, Detective Mike Reed said. The boy, 5, was shaken but unhurt.

Police picked up a suspect in an apartment a few blocks away and were questioning him, Reed said, adding that the man could be charged by the end of the day. Detectives were investigating whether he and Bethford had been romantically involved.

The day care center closed for the day and parents were called in to pick up their children.