Day care closes day after toddler dies after being left in van

DCF says day care not authorized to transport children

MIAMI – A Miami day care was closed Thursday, a day after a 2-year-old boy died after being left inside a van.

The Florida Department of Children and Families released a statement Thursday, saying that the day care center is no longer operational and was not authorized to transport children.

"We are devastated by the loss of Angel Gabriel Matute-Chavez and grieve with all those who loved him," the statement read. "DCF has opened a child death investigation and will assist law enforcement in any way needed. The child had no previous interaction with the child welfare system."

DCF spokeswoman Jessica Sims said the center had "no major, class one child care violations."

The owner of Vision for Life Academy in the area of Northwest 41st Street and Seventh Avenue was at the day care, turning away some parents who tried to drop off their children for the day.

Other parents went to the day care to transfer their children out of the school.

"My child goes to that school, and my child goes on that bus. That really could have been my child. It gets me so emotional," Jessica Lewis said.  

Lewis picked up a reassignment paper Thursday morning, withdrawing her 4-year-old son from the school.

"They don't know how many kids they pick up in the morning? They don't count?" Lewis asked. "They don't do a check after they pick up the kids? Like, let me check if there's another baby in here. Like, they just left him in the car."

Lewis said her son rode in the same van to school last Friday.

The van was blocked off with crime scene tape Wednesday afternoon, after police said Angel was left in the hot van for several hours before a worker at the day care found him unconscious about 3:45 p.m. and called 911.

"When I came at 2 o'clock, I walked past the bus," Lewis said. "The bus was parked right there, and I walked past it, so you're telling me the whole time there was a child in there? That makes you feel bad, like now, I should've checked or something. If I would've looked in the bus, or I would've listened to something, but you never know. You never stop to think they would leave a whole baby in the car."

Angel was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"They need to be more responsible," another parent, who did not want to be identified, said. "There's too many adults in there for them to be neglectful like that. (They need) more head counts, more teachers or something."

Police are still working to determine how long the boy was in the van.

According to parents, the van arrives to school at 8 a.m. after picking students up and leaves in the afternoon to take them home.

A friend of Angel's mother told Local 10 News that he was the youngest of three siblings and his mother is devastated by the loss of her son.

"He was a good kid," she said. "Very lovable and very attached to his mom."

The woman said her children also attended the day care.

"I mean, I've had problems with them, like my kids being dirty and stuff like that," she said.

A friend of the day care owner, Emy Etienne, said the owner loved all of the children at the day care and is devastated by Angel's death.

"She cares for those children as her own, and I can tell you she's devastated," Etienne said.

Miami police said no arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing.

 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.