Fire breaks out, ‘Molotov’ cocktail found outside Wendell day care being investigated for sexual assault

By Web staff

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    WENDELL, North Carolina (WRAL) — An arson investigation is underway after a fire broke out at ABC Land day care in Wendell Tuesday night. The center is already under investigation after multiple families complained their 3-year-olds were sexually assaulted by the same employee.

Wendell police are currently investigating the fire as arson after what was described as a “Molotov” cocktail was found outside the day care in the driveway.

Fire crews and police responded to the fire at ABC Land on Raymond Drive shortly after 9:30 p.m., where they found “a bottle containing a flammable chemical was located near the building.”

A wine bottle could be seen in the driveway of the day care, and police were dusting the bottle for fingerprints. The top of the wine bottle appeared to be scorched with what may have been the burned cork sticking out the top.

Police said minimal damage was caused to the building, and the day care was operating on normal hours on Wednesday.

Fire crews didn’t leave the scene until shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday night.

The day care is also under a separate investigation by the State Bureau of Investigations for reports of sexual abuse after multiple complaints were made against an employee. Officers began their investigation into the day care on Jan. 4, when multiple people reported an employee sexually assaulted their children.

Almost a week later, police received a third sex assault complaint against the same employee.

“My 3-year-old told me that he was touched in a private area by a male employee at naptime,” said one of the mothers who filed a police report. “I confronted the owner and she denied it. To my knowledge today, the employee is still at the day care.”

Wendell police Capt. John Slaughter told WRAL News there were three children involved, and all were 3 years old.

The SBI said investigations are ongoing, but no charges have been filed.

ABC Land sent a letter to families, which read in part:

“We are dealing with serious allegations against one of our employees … We did receive this complaint last week and started taking measures to inform the agencies that handle situations involving child care complaints.”

The letter stated that ABC Land received an unannounced visit on Monday, Jan. 9, from the state Department of Health and Human Services.

ABC Land wrote “all allegations are taken seriously with the investigation following the procedures required by the state.”

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