SAVANNAH, GA -
According to Metro Police, state authorities have taken over the investigation into an illegal, unlicensed day care center that was closed by Chatham County fire marshals and Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Tuesday.
The business, located at 1190 King George Boulevard, has operated under two different names: George Town Child Care Center and the George Town Fitness Center.
Now, Investigators from the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services through the Department of Early Childcare and Learning (DECAL) advised SCMPD Special Victims Unit are looking in to the case.
The business was given a cease and desist order from Chatham County Recorder's Court and found one adult and a 14-year-old girl caring for 11 children, all age 4 or younger.
When police arrived the adult locked the front door and left the center, leaving only the 14-year-old in charge.
News 3 has learned that the two operators of the center have already been charged by county authorities and were in Recorder's Court Tuesday morning.
Kimberly Denise Emerson, 47, and Erica Denise McKinney, 36, also known as Erica Hayward, were sentenced to 10 days in the Chatham County Detention Center for violating the court order.
Both women had significant arrest records in Savannah. Emerson has multiple drug arrests, prostitution, fraud and driving violations.
Records show the child care center had been closed down in Richmond Hill and most of the children attending were from the Richmond Hill area.
Police say that the women kept such poor records, that investigators worked several hours to identify parents to advise them to pick up their children.
A West Chatham Precinct patrol car was stationed at the center today to assure that no parents were dropping off children.
