Only on FOX 29: Parents want answers and their money back from a daycare that wasn't even supposed to be operating.
Pennsylvania state inspectors thought they had shut the daycare down last summer. but the business, called "In the Beginning," kept operating under the radar, and kept collecting tuition from parents. When Philadelphia city inspectors returned last week, they shut it down again, leaving parents stranded.
Several parents contacted Fox 29 about the daycare, which is located on Wynnefield Avenue. The parents had paid registration fees and tuition for November. "I'm stuck in the middle of the year trying to find a school to place my son, and everybody is pretty much full," Angelina Geiger explained.
Two daycare officials told Fox 29 they had no idea they weren't allowed to operate. Wanda Lewis is a registered trustee for "In the Beginning." When she spoke to Fox 29 briefly on Wednesday outside the daycare, she told only a fraction of the story. "This is why they shut the place down because of the food license," Lewis insisted.
But state inspectors found a long list of problems when they showed up in July: the daycare had no license, no approved program for the kids, and no background checks done on the employees. Last week city inspectors returned and found no working fire alarm, and a collapsing roof.
"I asked them was there problems or any issues going on. They said everything was fine, they'd take care of it, just pay tuition," Geiger said.
Fox 29 asked Wanda Lewis whether the daycare would refund the parents' money. "Oh absolutely," Lewis insisted. Lewis wouldn't say when parents would get their money back.
"I don't think they handled it well at all," another parent told Fox 29. "I feel that it's a disgrace to continue to take money, and you know what's going on. And I don't know if they're going to repay these parents."
"If they was to ever open back up I definitely would not come back," Geiger said. "I wouldn't refer anyone. I've referred several people here, I have about five friends and we're all stuck."
Brandon Jackson is one of the daycare's registered owners. He told Fox 29 it was all a big misunderstanding, and also promised to return parents' money. Jackson said it would take 30 to 60 days.
Friday, May 17 2013 6:08 PM EDT2013-05-17 22:08:49 GMT
A man in Montgomery County is determined to shock and disgust unsuspecting women, even if they're with their young children.If you were lucky enough to get outside Friday, to a place like the Perkiomen
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Tuesday, May 14 2013 5:49 PM EDT2013-05-14 21:49:13 GMT
A Hollywood A-lister takes the world by surprise by opening up about a very private matter. Angelina Jolie revealed Tuesday she chose to have a double mastectomy to lower her risk of getting cancer.
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A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow.
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Monday, May 20 2013 11:08 PM EDT2013-05-21 03:08:39 GMT
An ugly business stained with sex, drugs and violence is exploding on the Internet. It's called sex trafficking, and it happens right here in our area.
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Monday, May 20 2013 11:07 PM EDT2013-05-21 03:07:00 GMT
A woman says she got kicked out of a Montgomery County mall for wearing a cancer-awareness hat. But it's the language, not the message, that got her into trouble.
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Monday, May 20 2013 10:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 02:20:18 GMT
Mike Kersten and his wife Lisa of Croydon, Lower Bucks County opened their front door over the weekend only to find police telling them to stay inside. A large black bear was spotted climbing one of
A black bear seen in Bucks County is still the talk of the area for residents.
Monday, May 20 2013 7:27 PM EDT2013-05-20 23:27:47 GMT
A century-old community staple in Cherry Hill was up for auction Monday. The Woodcrest Country Club has experienced some financial problems recently, and after efforts from the township and the Freeholders
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Monday, May 20 2013 5:13 PM EDT2013-05-20 21:13:26 GMT
The family of the 5-year-old kindergartner abducted in broad daylight from her Philadelphia school is now planning on suing the city and the school district.
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