CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The owners of a home where a 4-month-old girl died this week were operating an unlicensed home day care and have been ordered to immediately stop providing child care, the Florida Department of Children and Families said.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office said Braelyn Hamilton died Wednesday. The cause of her death is under investigation.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I (saw) a baby come out like that," neighbor Jose Echevarria said.
Braelyn was in the home of Clay County Sheriff's Deputy Steven Mosley, whose wife was babysitting the child at the time, according to the CCSO.
Some neighbors told Action News Jax that they have seen several children and parents coming and going from the house before.
"(I've) seen cars stopping by and parents picking up their child," Echevarria said.
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DCF said it received a licensing complaint last month, but said it was given wrong information.
"Inaccurate information was given to the department during the initial investigation, by the homeowners and parents," DCF spokeswoman Michelle Glady said. "After it was investigated further, it was learned that the household was in fact operating a home day care without a license. The department then served a cease-and-desist order to stop providing child care immediately."
Action News Jax spoke with a neighbor who has been running her own home day care for 17 years just a few houses down from the Mosleys.
According to DCF, Regina Hayes is licensed to run her home day care facility.
"If someone is not licensed to do something, they shouldn't be in that field," Hayes said. "It's not an easy job."
Hayes said she is inspected by the state once a year, and inspectors make sure the facility is maintained safely for the children.
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"They do an inspection on the house, the yards, and you know they tell you what you should have, you know, pertaining to the children," Hayes said. "Each child should have their own mats or crib. If you have children that are going out in the yard, (there) has to be a 6-foot gate put around the whole perimeter of the house."
Hayes said day care operators are also required to receive training.
"You go through first aid, CPR, and then you take a lot of classes," Hayes said.
DCF said Florida law requires that anyone who provides child care in a home for more than one unrelated family must be either registered or licensed through the agency.
It's hard to even know what to say. 7 pictures doesn't even begin to sum up the love Clark and I have for our sweet baby...
Posted by Danielle Hamilton on Thursday, October 29, 2015
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