Day Care's Abrupt Shutdown Leaves Questions For Parents, Owner Declares It's Permanently Closed

A day care center in the Cheshire County in Connecticut has been abruptly closed by the Office of Early Childhood (OEC). Parents were left without any advice or notice, as well as plenty of questions.

Over 50 children attended the day care before the shutdown that happened Friday, Dec. 2. According to Fox 61, when grandparent Therese Kelly arrived to pick up her 1-year-old grandkid, she found the children in tears.

The other parents were just as baffled after learning that the operator and owner, Asher Sussman, has let go of his staff. Kelly isn't sure what the problem was because the Cheshire Country Day School (CCDS) didn't have any issues as far as she knows.

Sussman initially told parents that the day care will be undergoing maintenance, hence it will be closed temporarily. Later, they were told that the center was infested with mice and the shutdown might take longer to abide with the directives of the OEC.

A father complained that because of the uncertainty, he's left with a "very serious predicament" along with other parents, NBC Connecticut reports. Effrain Torres had to take a day off from work to pick up his children that Friday when the day care closed. He's now looking for options on where to send his two kids while the adults have to attend to their other tasks.

But according to OEC, the CCDS actually received two complaints from parents and it's currently under investigation. Staffers, however, had more story to tell.

Jackie Robinson confirmed that they were apparently asked to resign from the day care several days before the shutdown. Refusing to quit their jobs, Sussman allegedly stopped paying his employee. Rental fees for October and November have also not yet been paid, the building owner told news outlets. The CCDS also received citations from the OEC back in March and April.

Finally, in an email Dec. 6, the CCDS advised parents it will permanently closed, according to My Record Journal. "We have notified the state of our intentions to close permanently," the CCDS' statement to parents read.