CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A day care center in east Charlotte will no longer be in operation after state officials suspended the site's license.
Midwood Learning Academy, located at 2519 Central Avenue, had its license suspended on Monday, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child Development and Early Education.
The day care center's license was suspended "to protect the health, safety, and welfare of children," according to the order issued by the state. Midwood Learning Academy has been open since 2021, according to state records.
The order did not specify in detail what led to the closure but says they received information leading to an investigation on Friday, Feb. 23.
A Charlotte family, who wants to remain anonymous, said they raised concerns after a photo surfaced, showing kids piling into a car without car seats.
WCNC Charlotte's Lexi Wilson spoke to a dad whose daughter is in the picture. He said it started at Cordelia Park in Plaza Midwood when he got a call from a friend concerning his daughter.
“The kids were playing completely unsupervised on this playground," he said.
But the kids weren't completely unsupervised. The dad said they were being watched by two people from a car. Eventually, the kids were called back, and that's when the dad's friend confronted the adults and the car tried to speed away.
“My daughter is laying across the lap of other kids that don’t have seat belts, about to fall out," he said. "It’s just unfathomable.”
WCNC Charlotte spoke to one of the owners of the day care, who said the closure only impacts their preschool building. While she didn't want to speak on camera, she said it's an unfortunate situation and they are working with the state to correct any issues or problems. She also apologized to the parents.
“There was just absolutely no structure, and there were real systemic problems within the day care, that put these kids’ lives in jeopardy, which is crazy to say out loud," the dad said.
NCDHHS allows the owner of Midwood Learning Academy to appeal within 30 days of when the order was filed.
The department encourages anyone who needs to file a complaint against a day care to do so here on the NCDHHS website.
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