Childcare Director Arrested on Neglect Charge

The director of , 6501 N. Central Ave., has been arrested in connection an incident on Friday morning when a 3-year-old boy was left in the daycare's van for several hours.

At 3 p.m. Monday, Tampa Police officers arrested Sonja Anderson, 37, at her home at 8527 Fishlake Road, on one count of child neglect, a third degree felony. As of Monday evening, she remained in Orient Road Jail in lieu of $2,000 bail.

Investigators said Anderson drove the van and picked up the child from his home at 8 a.m. Friday and drove him to the daycare. She locked the child inside the van and then went into the daycare, Tampa Police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.

At 11 a.m., a child care licensing inspector discovered the boy locked in the van. Anderson told police that she did not remember what she did after entering the daycare, however detectives determined that she signed a log stating the child was checked into the daycare, McElroy said.

Detectives are continuing to investigate another incident with the same child being locked in the same van on Feb. 9. That incident involves a different employee of the daycare, McElroy said. Since it was reported six days after the incident, the investigation has been lengthier.

Police have not identified the child. The mother identified herself to Bay News 9 as Aundria Young and the child as Jusean.

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