The alleged unlicensed childcare home near Goshen where 86 children were reportedly found has officially been ordered to shut down. A preliminary injunction issued Thursday gives the alleged operators 30 days to stop operations, although they said during a hearing last month that they already had.
In court filings, Denielle Hiles and Amanda Wilkinson argue that the state failed to prove that the house met its definition of a “childcare home.” They say the Family and Social Services Administration didn’t ask about the children’s ages, whether they were related to adults who were present or how long they were there.
They said the June 1 search happened to coincide with an annual party they host between the end of school and the start of summer programs at the Boys and Girls Club. When police and FSSA officials arrived to execute the search warrant, a witness says she decided to hide the children because she was concerned it might have been an intruder or some other threat.
But the state says the home appeared to be equipped for regular childcare operations, and the defendants received regular payment.
