Long Island day care owner arrested after toddlers found wandering in street

HICKSVILLE, Long Island -- The owner of a Long Island child care service has been arrested on child endangerment charges after police say two toddlers were found in and near the road.

According to Nassau County police, a 44-year-old man was driving in Hicksville Monday morning when he saw a 3-year-old girl standing alone in the right lane.

He stopped and got out to help the child out of the roadway.

At that time, police say the man saw a second child, a 2-year-old boy, standing alone on the curbside grass.

The driver called police, who determined that the children left through a rear gate of Chella's Childcare, a home-based service.

The owner, 24-year-old Graciela Castro of Hicksville, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of child endangerment. She has been released, but is due back in court next month.

The children were not injured.

The day care has had 24 citations in just this past month.

The violations included not having enough caretakers, not having a license for a pet in the home, and not having enough clean bed coverings.

The day care's license is now suspended.