PLANTATION, Fla. — A Plantation daycare owner and staff members say they are devastated after authorities confirmed that a 1-year-old student was found dead Monday inside his father’s SUV, describing the loss as one that has shaken their entire school community.
“Hard for the parents, hard for us,” said Leslie Novoa, owner of A World of Discovery Academy, while holding back tears.
Novia said the boy attended her daycare, located at 7025 Northwest Fourth Street, where she and staff members had known his family for more than six years.
“Every single child that comes through our school becomes part of our family, and we are destroyed,” said Carolina Quecano, an assistant director of the daycare.
Novoa said the boy’s father arrived at the daycare Monday afternoon to pick up his son, but staff quickly realized something was wrong.
“I went out to confirm that the baby was never dropped off at the school and that’s when we found out,” Novoa said.
According to Novoa, the father then opened the vehicle and made the heartbreaking discovery.
“He was screaming outside, ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ He was really sad,” she said.
Novoa called 911, and Plantation police responded, surrounding the SUV with crime scene tape as detectives investigated. A Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office van later arrived while investigators processed the scene.
The daycare administrators told Local 10 that the boy was the youngest of three siblings. His two older siblings also attended the school, and staff said they had developed a close relationship with the family over the years.
“They are very nice, never a problem, always supportive,” Quecano said. “The children are very happy. You could see very loved children.”
As police continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, Quecano urged the community to show compassion.
“We don’t know what people are going through and it’s a very important message to put to our community is that we should be supportive, not judgmental,” she said.
Other parents at the daycare also shared their condolences.
“As a parent you never want to lose a child,” one mother said.
Plantation police have said only that the case remains an active investigation and that no additional details are being released at this time.
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