An Oregon day-care provider left kids as young as 6 months old alone in her home so she could go tanning and to the gym, authorities said.
January Neatherlin, 31, was indicted Tuesday on 76 counts of criminal mistreatment and 38 counts of reckless endangering another person after cops got a tip and set up surveillance on her home, which she used as a day-care center.
She left children alone at her house eight times over 12 days in March after parents dropped them off to her care, cops allege.
Police who observed her driving off entered her home, where they found seven unattended children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years.
Prosecutors say she left the house for about two hours each time and “went to the gym and tanning salon.”
Authorities are continuing to investigate because they think the activity could have been going on for years.
“Nothing is more precious than the safety and security of our children,” Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said in a statement. “If the allegations against Ms. Neatherlin are proven in court I will seek the maximum penalty authorized by law.”
Neatherlin was being held at the Deschutes County jail on a $200,000 bail. She’s scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
With Post Wires