Charlotte woman charged with running illegal day care after infant’s death
A Charlotte woman has been charged with running an illegal day care after police said an infant died in her care in October.
The infant, 2-month-old Chase London, was suffocated, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Wednesday. There were no charges in the child’s death, but police said the death sparked an investigation into the day care operated by Aqunietta White, 53.
White was arrested Tuesday and faces a felony charge of providing child care without a license.
In 2013, White’s day care was found to be unlicensed, and White was told to go to some classes and only keep two unrelated children in her home.
In October, officers found 16 children in her home. But at the time, the district attorney’s office didn’t find enough probable cause to bring charges related to London’s death, police said.
The baby, Chase London, died of suffocation. No charges in his death. Investigation into day care launched after his death.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) July 12, 2017
Police on Wednesday advised parents to use licensed day care facilities and also make sure their children are sleeping in safe environments. An unsafe place to sleep contributed to London’s death, police said.
Police said they encounter unlicensed day cares about once a month in Charlotte. Parents can find out whether a day care is licensed by looking it up on North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services website.
If a day care doesn’t appear on that site, police said, parents should report it for being unlicensed.
LaVendrick Smith; 704-358-5101; @LaVendrickS
This story was originally published July 12, 2017 at 10:49 AM with the headline "Charlotte woman charged with running illegal day care after infant’s death."