PRAIRIEVILLE – The license of an Ascension Parish daycare was revoked amid reports of children being able to leave the facility.

The Louisiana Department of Education said it took the license for the Color Wheel Learning Center.

The revocation came after a group of toddlers were able to leave the center’s yard. The four children were able to walk into the parking lot and were seen by a driver passing by the location on Highway 44.  The driver stopped, corralled the children and brought them back inside. 

"We are thankful these young children are safe," said State Superintendent John White, "but we cannot ignore the recurring negligence displayed by this center."

The state said there have been multiple instances of toddlers "escaping the facility."

A similar incident also happened in October.  State regulators said a staff member who happened to be in the parking lot then took the child inside.  The center reported the incident and the agency's licensing division followed up with an inspection of the facility.

Upon the conclusion of each inspection, the Department of Education licensing division cited the center for lack of supervision.

The daycare has 15 calendar days from receipt of the notice of revocation to appeal the decision. Providers who have had their licenses revoked are ineligible to apply for licensure for two years. Operating a child care center without a license may result in an order to cease and desist, as well as an injunction from a court prohibiting the continued operation of a child care center without a license and placement on the statewide registry of individuals prohibited from operating a child care center.

Color Wheel Learning Center has three locations: The one where the license was revoked in Prairieville, a second also in Ascension and a third in Baton Rouge. 

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