Bronx mother says 2-year-old daughter left Tremont day care unnoticed

The 2-year-old is doing just fine but her mother, Delila Castro, said getting that phone call was traumatic.

News 12 Staff

Nov 5, 2022, 2:25 AM

Updated 702 days ago

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A mother said her baby girl walked out of a Tremont day care and onto the street seemingly unnoticed only for police to later find her.
The little girl's entire escape was apparently caught on camera.
The 2-year-old is doing just fine but her mother, Delila Castro, said getting that phone call was traumatic.
She brought her daughter to Loyalty Day Care on 3rd Avenue Thursday only for her daughter to be able to get up and leave without anyone stopping her.
She was found on the corner of East 178th Street and Monterey Avenue which is about a two-minute walk away.
The day care's surveillance video appears to show the moments the young girl walked down the hall and out the front door seemingly unnoticed, despite someone leaving seconds earlier.
Castro later received a phone call from the police saying they found her roaming on the street down the block.
She said the video still has her shaken up.
"Trusting a day care, trusting you with my child that I birthed and then this happens to her. She was alone outside. That's scary. Anything could've happened to her. Anything," Castro said.
Castro filed a police report and said she has been working closely with the Administration for Children’s Services.
Castro said her daughter is doing fine but she fears what could have happened if police did not find her.
News 12 asked Loyalty Day Care about the incident, which said, "This matter is currently under investigation by the department of health and ACS/NYPD. We do not have any further comment at this time."
Castro said now all she has is one question: How could this happen?
"How? Like this is a baby, the street was right there, like a big street, she literally could've ran in that street, she's not replaceable. That's crazy," Castro said.
News 12 reached out to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene but did not hear back. Upon visiting their website, News 12 noticed the latest inspection for the day care was on Thursday and they now have several open violations related to supervision and it even hints at the possibility that they've been asked to close.
As for Castro, she said she is hesitant to ever put her daughter in day care again.