The child care shortage in the Auburn area could get worse if the arrest of a local child care director continues.

Colette TenEyck, 38, of Seneca Falls, who served as director of the Cayuga Community College Child Care Center in Auburn, was charged with three felony counts of falsifying business records and three misdemeanor petty theft charges for allegedly scanning cheaper items at the self-checkout at Walmart. times.

The state Department of Children and Family Services is also reviewing the center’s license for violations during an October inspection, including inadequate supervision, failure to report suspected abuse and improper hygiene practices, The Citizen reported this week.

The center, which was licensed for up to 132 children, had previously resolved similar licensing problems in 2022.

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