09/01/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Staten Island, NY – A day care operator, who was honored on at least three separate occasions by the Seamen’s Society Family Day Care Network, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child on Monday, August 30, 2010, as reported by Staten Island Live. Linda Bowen, 68, is accused of accidentally leaving a 1-year-old boy unattended in her Clifton home for several hours while she went shopping.
Bowen runs a day care center out of her home on Roff Street. She was arrested at approximately 7:30 p.m., after the father of the unattended child called police. He allegedly showed up to pick up the boy at 5:30 p.m. and found the house locked.
Upon Bowen’s arrival, police and others found the boy safe.
Bowen explained, “I went to the stores. I’m not sure how long I was gone for… Usually the kid who leaves last leaves earlier, and I forgot that one was still there.”
She faces a single count of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child, according to William J. Smith, a spokesman for district Attorney Daniel Donovan.
A source told SILive, “It seems like it was an honest, terrible mistake…But it still meets the definition of a crime.”
Records show Bowen was honored by the Seamen’s society Family Day Care Network in 2000, 2004 and 2009.
Staten Island Health Department officials told the press that Bowen has been operating the daycare center since July of 2000. She has never been the subject of any complaints. Her home/daycare was inspected by Health Department officials in April 2010, and was violation free.
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