Day care teacher Lindsey White knew she would lose her job when she called 911 to report that her boss drove off in a van full of 3-year-olds while possibly drunk.
"I knew once I call, we're done," White said.
The Creative Connections Learning Center is now closed with a suspended license, and its owner, Margaret E. Walker, is charged with driving under the influence-second offense, along with charges related to having children in the car and no valid driver's license.
White wasn't certain Walker was intoxicated Oct. 23. She never saw her boss take a drink, and she said she had no knowledge of Walker's DUI conviction in February or that Walker was already fighting to keep the west Wichita day care's license.
"I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt," White said. "But there was no turning back when I called."
She and another teacher confronted Walker about a vodka bottle in her purse and warned they would call police if she left. The teachers didn't want to become physical in a school full of about 50 children, White said.
"I think I did everything I could," she said. "We were discreet because we didn't want to make a commotion. We didn't want to scare people."
Walker did not return phone messages seeking comment for this story.
Nine employees have lost their jobs because of the day care's closing, and several teachers wanted to speak out about what they saw.
White said she doesn't want the day care staff to be confused with Walker.
"It makes us look bad — like we're in cahoots with her," White said.
Read more at Kansas.com
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