Greenwood Church Reaches Agreement with State to Continue Running Day Care

By Vic Ryckaert
Indianapolis Star
February 14, 2013

http://www.indystar.com/article/20130213/LOCAL0402/130213032/Greenwood-church-reaches-agreement-state-continue-running-day-care

A Greenwood church entered into an agreement with state officials Wednesday that allows it to continue running a day care.

The Little Angels Daycare and Preschool in White River Baptist Church, due to shut down today, can keep operating after it agreed to improve up safety standards and become a fully licensed day care by Aug. 13, said Marni Lemons, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.

The church day care at 1222 Demaree Road cares for about 130 children.

FSSA officials notified the day care on Jan. 31 that it was revoking their registration because an inspector found a church official accused of sexual abuse had been allowed near children.

The official, described by Greenwood police as a church deacon, had been accused of inappropriately touching a child in spring 2012. Police said the evidence was weak and the official was not arrested, but child welfare officials found the facts were enough to substantiate that the abuse had occurred.

Licensed day care centers are subject to heavy regulation, but Indiana law allows religious nonprofits to avoid most state oversight by simply registering.

Workers in and around church day cares must pass a background check. State law says that anyone with a “substantiated” claim of abuse must stay away from the kids.

Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701.