A Houston area daycare
center
that was robbed by a suspected accomplice from inside the business has also been cited on several occasions for failure to perform background checks on staff members. The Stay and Play Child Care Center, located in north Harris County, Texas, was robbed while children were present and napping at the
center
. At the time of the
incident
the surveillance camera
was not functioning,
leaving no
video evidence of the crime. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office believes there may be an inside
accomplice,
since the suspect specifically mentioned a
gray
cashbox.
Spokesman
for the sheriff’s office, Deputy Thomas Gilliland, says no suspects have been named.
According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the
center
has been cited 18 times between 2010 and 2011 for failing to conduct criminal background checks on its employees. However, Stay and Play director Betty McGirr states that at the time of application, all staff members are required to undergo background checks and submit fingerprints. Assistant director of the
center
, Cherry Bradley, states the
center
immediately complied with the request by the state licensing department by ordering background checks on its employees. Some employees quit before their checks were performed, and others were late in undergoing the checks.
Since the robbery, the
center
has fixed the malfunctioning camera system and is restoring door locks and an intercom system. According to McGirr, there were about 75 children inside the
center
at the time of the robbery. “I did what I had to do to get him out of there as fast as we could,” she said. Parent Sache Stephens dropped off her 3-year-old son about 10 minutes before the robbery took place. “Had something happened to my child, I don't know what I would've done,” she said. Although she believes
the
center
is a safe place for her son, Stephens says she would have preferred to have been notified immediately after the incident occurred. When parents arrived later that day to pick up their children they were notified of the
robbery,
and given letters the following day explaining the
center
is safe for their children. Community activist Quanell X spoke out against the brazen
robbery,
and is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the solving of the case.
Stay and Play is not the only daycare
center
known to have previous issues with background checks,
centers
and businesses in charge of the safety of children need to be particularly aware of the importance of performing thorough checks on staff members. They would be better off using the services of a company like backgroundchecks.com. With access to countless criminal databases nationwide they provide several great options, many with instant results. Their USOneSEARCH includes information from 49 states (plus Washington D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico) with photos. Or try their National Wants and Warrants search. This search will give results within one to two days, and is a nationwide search of local, county, state, and Federal extraditable warrants, and may include
misdemeanors
or felonies. Most law enforcement agencies contribute to this database. When you use a reputable company like backgroundchecks.com, you can rest assured you are doing everything you can to protect the safety of children and your business.
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backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about
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Source: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Quanell-X-activists-offer-reward-in-brazen-day-3583527.php
