Operator of Mesquite daycare charged with child endangerment

Mesquite police arrested 60-year-old Rebecca Anderson Saturday morning and charged her with nine counts of child endangerment.

Anderson owns and operates Becky’s Home Childcare, a registered childcare business for infants and toddlers, at her home.

Acting on a complaint Friday morning, police say they found evidence of child abuse.

In a statement, police say the nine children Anderson was caring for “may have been exposed to unnecessary doses of over the counter medicine, extended periods of restricted movement, and poor hygiene practices."

Police immediately called the children’s parents.

Many of them took their kids to the hospital to be evaluated.

“I’m beyond angry,” said Ross Getty, parent of a child in Anderson’s care.

Getty says his 8-month-old daughter has been going to Anderson’s daycare for about 4 months.

“My biggest concern, my wife’s biggest concern, is the health of our daughter,” said Getty.

Getty says his daughter is ok, but he’s still awaiting the results of a blood test to see if she had anything in her system.

He says investigators told his wife and the parents of the 8 other children about what they believe may have been taking place at the daycare.

“She had, supposedly, they were restrained in chairs and in closets, making them nap all day, giving them some kind of medication we don’t know what yet, over-the-counter stuff just to make him sleep all day,” said Getty.

Getty said he and other parents gathered at the hospital Friday and began comparing notes.

“We’re picking our children up, they seem sleepy. Wow, OK, she said they just got up from nap time. OK, understand. Sounds great. Lately our daughter hasn't wanted to go to bed. It’s midnight 1, 2 in the morning when she wants to go to bed,” said Getty.

And he says the parents wondered about something else.

“We all thought it was a safety thing, that she wouldn't let us in the house when we would drop off or pick up kids, morning or afternoon. We just thought, a safety thing. Okay, we understand.  You don’t want people in your house to come get a kid. But now we see why we weren't allowed in the house,” said Getty.

Anderson’s daycare website touts her 37 years of experience caring for young children saying, "I use a developmental program that enhances infant and preschool brain development, to help bring out the best in your child."

The website says she’s been providing child care in Mesquite since 1995.

"I'm in shock because I would not believe that,” said Anderson’s neighbor Maria Cuellar.

"She's a wonderful lady, I know her for almost ten years and anybody you ask, the neighbors and they'll tell you the same thing,” said Cuellar.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is also involved in the investigation.

According to records, the daycare was cited for some minor issues in the past.

Now police want to hear from parents and other children previously in Anderson’s care.