Published : Thursday, 09 Apr 2009, 9:43 PM CDT  Monica Landeros - A four month old boy is dead after being left in a van by staff at his daycare. Milwaukee police said the baby might have been in the van for as long as five hours. Bumble Bee Daycare Center was swarmed by police and parents on Thursday afternoon. Police say four month old Jalen Perkins was left in a van in the parking lot from about 8:30 in the morning until around two in the afternoon. His grandmother is in disbelief. "What took them so long to discover that he wasn't there? I mean from 8:30 in the morning to 2 o'clock in the afternoon? And they just discovered that he wasn't in the building? That's a long time. (These) are babies we're talking about," said Remona Williams, Jalen's grandmother. Outside of the daycare two women sat on the ground, hugging and crying, as police kept back onlookers.
"Carelessness, carelessness. That's all. That van should be checked!" said Devonia Web, a concerned parent. Parents rushed to the daycare all afternoon to pick up their children, with a lot of questions. "I just left work terrified. no one in there in answering the phones. I don't know what is going on," said Web. A sign outside of the daycare sign reads "Now open, Enrolling all ages," though the state immediately shut down the child care center and is investigating. The Department of Children and Family Services said, "All of us at DCF are shocked and saddened by the death of this innocent child. Our thoughts and prayers are with this child's family as we take action to ensure that children are safe and workers are held accountable." "t's just devastating. It breaks my heart," said Bobbie Spain, a concerned grandparent. "(This is) neglect, absolutely no one is paying attention to our future. It hurts," said Rhena Thompson. Police have arrested a 44-year-old driver from the child care center. Milwaukee are recommending the man receive a felony charge of leaving a child in a child care vehicle unattended. The temperature reached 53 degrees in Milwaukee Thursday around noon. No word on the temperature inside the van where Perkins died. The state says the owner of Bumble Bee Day Care Center also owns another child care center. The business has also been shut down. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/wluk_news_milwaukee_infant_dies_in_van_200904092140_rev1