SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a child pornography case connected to Little Seeds Academy, a day care based out of a house in Southwest Miami-Dade, and have arrested a man identified by parents as the son of the facility’s owner.
7News cameras captured distraught parents outside of the family-run center at 10470 Bird Road, Monday afternoon.
“I just hope none of our kids are involved in this,” said concerned mother Zaira Perez as she fought back tears.
Federal agents with a search warrant spent hours going in and out of the day care after a raid that began around 4:30 a.m.
“I woke up to just a thousand cops lights flashing my whole house,” said neighbor Brandyn Baluja.
DHS agents and Miami-Dade Police officers carried out the operation.
“Honestly, I am shaken up because, I mean, I know the people that own the place are really good people, and I trust them completely with my daughter,” said concerned mother Sophia Ramirez.
“She grew up here since she was 4 months old,” said a mother through a translator. “We never knew of any mistreatment of children, and we have never seen anything suspicious.”
Working closely with the State Attorney’s Office, DHS arrested a man Monday afternoon. Parents have identified the suspect as 28-year-old Alejandro Ancarola, the son of the day care’s owner.
Although parents were told not to bring their children to the day care via a phone call, many of them showed up terrified that their children have been affected by the child porn case.
The building where Little Seeds is located is part residence and part day care. 7News has learned Ancarola lives there but does not work at the center.
“I really hope that none of all this is just like something he did in his free time, and didn’t involve any of our kids,” said Perez. “That’s my main concern. I don’t know if you guys are mothers, but it’s really hard for us to be in this situation.”
Julieta Varona, the daughter of the day care’s owner tried to calm a growing number of parents who had gathered outside. She said she’s also in the dark about the investigation.
“The children have not been impacted. It’s just something to do with computers,” she said.
The DHS and police removed a number of cases and computer equipment from the building, as parents waited for answers.
Ancarola is set to appear in federal court Tuesday afternoon, which is when he will hear the charges he will be facing and when investigators are expected to provide further details about what allegedly took place at the day care center.
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