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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - The operator of the four child care facilities in Colorado Springs that were shut down last month has been arrested and will make her first appearance in a courtroom early next year, according to court documents.
On Thursday, authorities announced multiple arrests in the case where investigators found children behind a "false wall":
-Carla Faith was arrested on suspicion of two counts of reckless child abuse without injury and a single count of trying to influence a public servant.
-Christina Swauger was charged with attempt to influence a public servant along with misdemeanor child abuse. She also received a ticket for smoking/possession of marijuana while acting as a caregiver in a childcare facility.
-Katelynn Nelson is facing charges as unlawful possession of a schedule II controlled substance as well as misdemeanor child abuse.
-Valerie Fresquez was charged with misdemeanor child abuse. A mugshot of Fresquez was not provided because she is only facing a misdemeanor charge.
Faith, 58, was arrested Monday and bonded out the following day, a spokesperson with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office confirms. Faith's bond was set at $3,000. She bonded out the same day. Nelson and Swauger also bonded out.
11 News obtained the arrest papers for the women. They go into detail of the alleged crimes stating when officers found the children, they were not being treated well.
Court documents say when officers searched the home they found a pile of backpacks in a closet. When they asked Faith about the backpacks, she told them she had volunteered for a soccer team and was cleaning the backpacks for them.
Arrest papers go on to say that as officers continued to search the home, one bumped into a "false wall." After uncovering the false wall that led to the basement, officers note they found 26 children all under the age of three in the basement. They say when they examined the children they noticed most of the kids were sweating, visibly dehydrated, and had wet or soiled diapers.
As officers continued their search, they say they searched a backpack belonging to one of the employees, Katelynn Nelson. Court documents say police found meth and needles in the backpack.
When the investigation into the four daycares began, CSPD originally detained the four women, but let them go that same day.
It's been six weeks since that investigation started. CSPD spokesperson Lt. Jim Sokolik told 11 News they wanted to further their investigation into the women. He says prolonging the investigation allowed them to charge the woman with the appropriate charges and allow them to be held accountable for the full range of their actions.
As 11 News previously reported, Faith drew the attention of both police and Colorado Department of Human Services after multiple complaints emerged that her facility Play Mountain Place on 838 Willamette Ave. was housing more children than permitted.
When Springs police officers arrived at the daycare facility on Nov. 13, there were no children in plain sight.
https://www.kktv.com/content/news/1-month-after-raid-uncovers-children-hidden-behind-false-wall-day-care-operator-arrested-566477521.html