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Daycare owner accused of hiding kids behind false wall in basement has been arrested

Carla M. Faith faces charges of child abuse and attempting to influence a public servant
Posted at 1:13 AM, Dec 24, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-26 09:09:39-05

Court records show daycare owner Carla Faith, 58, faces charges related to child abuse and attempting to influence a public servant.

Last month, the Department of Health Services and officers with the Colorado Springs Police Department raided Play Mountain Place on Willamette Avenue following multiple complaints.

Police said when they arrived, Faith was refusing to cooperate despite officers hearing the children. Faith told officers they could search the daycare and the main house. An officer saw a stack of backpacks in a closet that Faith said belonged to a soccer team she volunteered to clean for and denied having children in the home.

Officers heard children's music coming from the basement and asked Faith how to get to the basement, which court documents reveals she told them the home did not have a basement.

Court documents said officers found the wall when one of them bumped into it. The wall moved when the officer made contact with it and saw "two parallel scrape marks on the wooden floor" that led away from the wall.

The officer then moved a plant, saw a "small seam" between the wall and "false wall," and pulled the false wall to the right to reveal a stairwell leading to the basement. They found 26 kids under the age of two hidden behind the "false wall" in the basement of Play Mountain Place with two adults.

Documents said an officer observed that many of the children had wet or dirty diapers, were sweaty and were "very thirsty."

Counterpoint School, also owned by Faith, was shut down as well by state investigators.

Authorities found a camouflage backpack in the basement that had syringes, alcohol swabs, and two bags of methamphetamine, according to court documents.

News5 Investigates uncovered Play Mountain Place and Counterpoint School had racked up multiple violations in recent years. You can read our report and documented evidence here .

Records show Faith is being held in the El Paso County Jail on a $3,000 bond. As of 1 a.m. Christmas Eve, it appears she has not bonded out.

Another suspect, 31-year-old Katelynne Nelson, is facing a felony drug charge and child abuse. She and Faith will have a video advisement scheduled for Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

READ THE FULL AFFIDAVIT FOR KATELYNNE DIANNA LEIGH NELSON

Christina Swauger, 35, is facing the same charges as Faith but is not in custody. According to court documents, Swauger is accused of smoking or possessing marijuana while acting as a caregiver in a childcare facility.

READ THE FULL AFFIDAVIT FOR CHRISTINA MARIE SWAUGER

This story will be updated as new information becomes available.

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