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An Editorial Opinion of The Demopolis Times

As the news has broken over the past few weeks regarding the Tender Years Preschool & Nursery closure, it has been heartbreaking for the whole community.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family who lost their child on March 25 at the daycare center. 

Words cannot express how much this has affected our community. We know that a woman has been arrested and will be facing the charges that she was held responsible for the death of the child. 

One thing we must stress is that she has not yet been found guilty in a court of law. While we may want to lash out in vengeance, that is not what we should do at this point. We must allow the system to do its job as her case works its way through the wheels of justice.

Justice needs to be served in this case, regardless of what the outcome is, but that is in the hands of the courts. It will ultimately be determined by a judge and a jury of her peers. 

We realize that it is sad that a childcare center has been shut down by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). We can argue all we want that they should have been shut down sooner. Maybe that is the case; however, DHR cannot shut down a business overnight. Daycare center owners are owed due process just like every other business. Once the investigation is complete or completed enough to take action, then DHR can act at that time. Remember that a thorough investigation builds a solid case, one that will help ensure this situation does not happen again in Demopolis.

There isn’t anything we can do to bring the child back, even though we wish there was. Whatever anger or emotions that we feel about this incident must not be forgotten. We must put that energy and effort into making sure that it never happens again anywhere.

Is it possible that laws need to be changed? Sure.

Is it possible that DHR needs more workers to be able to make sure daycares and preschools are in compliance with those state and federal laws? Yes.

Those changes cannot be made simply by passing laws because laws that don’t come with enforcement are meaningless. It may take an investment by the state legislature to fund DHR and similar type agencies out there to protect the public. 

Our hope is that this will never happen again, but we need to do more than hope. We need to put those hopes into action to make sure another family will not have to mourn the loss of a child like this one.