Local

Woman accused of leaving 10-month-old child alone in Jacksonville day care

Sakoya Francis, 27

A woman has been arrested after a report said she locked up a Jacksonville day care on Wednesday with a 10-month-old child left inside.

The police report said a Jacksonville police officer arrived at ABC Christian VPK on Timuquana Road at 7 p.m. to see a woman pacing in front of the building. The woman said that she could see her child, who had been left in a crib inside the locked facility.

The day care's assistant director opened up the facility so the mother could get her child. The owner and day care worker Sakoya Mashamae Francis, 27, arrived at the facility shortly afterward.

Student suspended for 'slaves for sale' Craigslist ad with photo of Clay County high schoolers

The officer reported that the mother, who usually arrives to pick up her child no later than 6:30 p.m., said no one was at the facility when she arrived.

The mother said that she thought that her grandfather might have picked up the child. After calling him and driving to his house, she said the child wasn't there.

The woman returned to the day care and said she saw her diaper bag inside the facility and called police, who discovered the child inside the  crib.

The officer noted that the carpets were highly stained and that the child had toys in the crib.

The owner said she left the day care at 6:05 p.m. and told Francis that the child was still in the crib at the time. The owner said Francis is responsible for checking all spaces of the day care before leaving and locking up the building.

Francis was arrested on a charge of child neglect.