Mom claims day care closed and left baby alone in crib inside

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities are investigating a mother's claims that she had to break into a northeast Houston day care because her baby was locked inside -- alone and crying.

Sharonda Ross said she arrived at Joann's Day Care and Camp about 45 minutes after its closing time to pick up her 10-month-old son Jordan, but no one was there. Initially she thought her husband picked up their son, but once she realized that wasn't the case, the parents rushed back to the day care.

The mother said she could hear her baby crying in a crib and that she banged three times on the window before she and her husband decided to take drastic measures.

"I put my phone on record and start recording it. He breaks the window. We start breaking the glass out. He goes in and I'm still recording it the whole time. He comes (back) and there's my baby -- just left," the mother said. "Nobody's here, no cars, no nothing. I called the day care several times on my way to make sure to see if he's at home and on the way back and my child's here at day care by himself, no supervision. Nobody's here."

Ross says she's filed a report with the Harris County Sheriff's Office, and detectives are now investigating the child abandonment claim.

This morning, the daycare's owner responded to the claims exclusively to Eyewitness News.

"First I'm deeply, terribly sorry," said Joann Davis. "I thank God he was ok... It was our mistake. I'm not saying it's not... but the main thing is the baby's okay, and I'm sorry as I can be."

The owner says the employee who accidentally left the baby alone will not be fired.