Precious Cargo daycare abruptly closes

BRANFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- More than 100 Branford families are scrambling to find a new daycare center after Precious Cargo abruptly closed Friday afternoon.

Parents came to pick up their children from daycare only to find out the place was shutting down without any notice.

Precious Cargo has two locations; one in Wallingford and the other is in Branford, where the daycare center is being shut down.  

Parents got the notification letter as they walked in the door Friday afternoon to pick up their kids. The letter said the center would be closing immediately, and parents say they were completely caught off guard.

"The kids are upset. It's horrible what he did," one mother said, while consoling her crying child. "It's absolutely horrible what he did to these children and these teachers."

"I'm furious, absolutely furious," Brandi Vassiliou said. "I'm a single mother with two kids, so it's not like I can take the week off. I'm furious."

More than 100 working families from the area are affected by the sudden closure. Teachers say they are now left without a job, and a paycheck.

Lori O'Sullivan, a teacher at the daycare center, told News 8's Bob Wilson her employer had been bouncing checks for about a year.

Parents are now scrambling to get their kids into other, nearby daycare centers.

The Director of Operations explained he was forced to lay off six employees last month and seven additional employees walked of the job Friday morning. That meant the center didn't have enough staff to stay open.

He admits there were payroll issues, but the employees will be paid next week and parents will be refunded any unused tuition money.

The Wallingford center will remain open. Folks from the Branford location can send their kids to this branch where they will waive many of the fees in an effort to make it right. However parents say that is a long way away from Branford.