Charlotte woman charged with running illegal day care months after infant's death

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have arrested a woman months after a baby died at an illegal day care.

Police said Wednesday that Aqunietta White is not charged in the baby's death, but rather with operating the day care illegally.

White was arrested Tuesday afternoon, eight months after police began investigating when Chase London died at her home.

Officers were called to the home on Greene Street on Oct. 20 when the 2-month-old boy was found unconscious and not responsive in his crib.

That child later died at the hospital and the medical examiner determined the cause of death to be suffocation.

The little boy's father, Chris London, told Channel 9 that Chase wasn't even 3 months old when he and his wife enrolled him and his 2-year-old brother at the day care.

(Chase London)

"She told me she was licensed, legal, had insurance," said London.

CMPD said state inspectors also began investigating and found that there were more children in the home than state day care rules allow.

On Tuesday, police were back at the home and found that White still had more children there than legally allowed.

"When the Department of Child Development and Early Education went down there, they found 16 children in the home, and it was at that point an unlicensed day care," Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Capt. Roslyn Maglione said.

Prosecutors did look at the evidence in connection with the child's death last year and decided not to file charges in the case.

White declined to comment after her first court appearance Wednesday. She is free on bond while the case moves forward.

Meanwhile, London hopes no other parents will have to endure what he and his family have gone through.

"If I could give any advice, I would say just make sure you're diligent in doing your homework. Verify that what they're telling you is accurate and true," London said. "I wish that was something we would have known going into this."

Police also told parents to check online with the state's Division of Child Development and make sure their day care is licensed and regulated.

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