Mesquite Woman Arrested For Endangering Children At Home Daycare
MESQUITE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A woman was arrested for nine charges of child endangerment at her home daycare in Mesquite, police say. This was after police were notified of possible child abuse at the daycare on Friday.
Rebecca Anderson, 60, was arrested after police found evidence of child endangerment at her registered daycare in the 4300 block of Tamarix Court.
After investigators obtained a search warrant, police found nine children in her home when they arrived. The children's parents were called, and they were then taken to a hospital to be checked on.
Police say they received a complaint involving Anderson about how she physically handled the infants and toddlers at her daycare.
Investigators and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services responded and searched Anderson's home. Her daycare was also shutdown.
According to police, children at her home daycare may have been exposed to "unnecessary doses" of over-the-counter medicine. Investigators also found evidence of children being unable to move for an extended period of time and also poor hygiene practices.
The investigation is ongoing as Mesquite police work to also find other children who were cared for by Anderson.
"I'm just in shock. After I came home from work yesterday, I saw everybody here," said one neighbor, who didn't want to be identified.
Another neighbor, Susan Geldmeie, said she didn't know Anderson well but noticed in the past that children being dropped off at her daycare didn't want to leave their parents.
"It was not like, 'mommy don't leave me' -- it was screaming, crying," said Geldmeie
The unidentified neighbor hopes it is all a big misunderstanding.
"She would not hurt anybody," she said. "The kids are her life which makes me sad what she's going through right now."
Anderson's bond is set at $45,000 ($5,000 for each child).
