Carver Lewis, a lifelong Westbury resident, is the father of two children - a 20-month old boy and an 8-year-old girl, who attended the Play Play Play day care center on Garden Street. In late March, Lewis filed a complaint against the center's owner, Sandra Henderson, and employee Emmet Charles. His complaint, which originated out of concern for how his children were being treated, resulted in uncovering that Charles, who had been working at the center as a handyman, is a registered Level 2 sex offender who was convicted and served a year in prison during the late 1990s for sodomozing a 7-year-old boy.

On May 5, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) suspended Henderson's license to operate a family day care center and revoked her registration. In a letter sent to Henderson, OCFS states that the suspension is "based on the office's determination that the health, safety and welfare of children in [her] care are in imminent danger." The decision was made in accordance with Section 390 (10) of the Social Services Law and 18 NYCRR 413.3 (c)(1). (See article on Page 1.)

While the charges against Henderson are merely allegations at this time, Lewis said it is important for people to be aware of what was going on at the center. Lewis, who grew up in Westbury, said he remembered Charles and knew he had prior problems with alcohol. He did not know of his prior conviction and sex offender status. However, when he learned Charles worked at the center, the Westbury father said he instructed Henderson that he did not want Charles taking care of his son.

"She told us not to worry and over the next few weeks, things were okay. [Charles] did not have type of contact with my son," Lewis said. "Then my daughter told us that Charles was watching our son. We confronted [Henderson] again and it was the same thing. She said she was sorry and that she forgot."

In mid-February, when Lewis went to pick up his kids, he noticed that his son's eye was swollen. "Henderson said my son poked himself in the eye. So the next day, we took him to the doctor," Lewis said. "We asked the doctor if the [bruise] could have come from a poke in the eye. She said no, that if he had poked himself in the eye he would have a blood clot in his eye."

Lewis also alleges that while at the day care, his son was left in a highchair for extended periods of time and that his snowsuit was never taken off. "[Henderson] told another parent that my son had his snow suit on since twelve-thirty," Lewis said. "If this parent was there at four-thirty, then my son probably had his snowsuit on since I dropped him off. I don't pick my kids up until a quarter to six and I drop them off at a quarter to six in the morning. That means he was left in his snowsuit all day."

In addition, Lewis said he received several complaints about Henderson, whom the kids called Grandma Eagle, and the day care center from his 8-year-old daughter. "Everything that went on in the house my daughter would tell us. She would write little notes and give them to us when she came home," Lewis said. "My daughter hated to go there. She wrote letters that said 'I hate Grandma Eagle,' 'I hate to go there.' What really got me was her last letter. She wrote, 'Daddy, please help me. Please do something.' That was it."

At that point, Lewis took his kids out of Play Play Play and soon heard from other people in the community about Charles' criminal background. As a result, he went to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office and contacted Parents for Megan's Law. "When I went to the DA's office, I gave them [Charles'] name, date of birth and year he was convicted and sure enough, he popped right up on their computer," Lewis said. "I knew there was a problem, but I did not know it was going to result in this."

Lewis said he decided to speak out and tell his story to The Westbury Times in order to make other people aware of what was going on and "how they can prevent their children from being in the same predicament." "I chose [Play Play Play] because I thought she had what I wanted from a day care center," he said. "The way she presented herself was that she would give my kids the love that I wanted a day care to give them, like an extended family. That sure wasn't the case.

"My message to other parents is to be aware and check. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The main thing is to believe your kids, teach your kids right from wrong and what is a good touch and a bad touch, listen to them and whatever they say, you have to respond," Lewis said, adding that if it wasn't for his daughter, Henderson would have continued to operate the day care center with Charles as an employee. "If it wasn't for my daughter coming home and telling us what was going, none of this would have come to light," he said. "I want her to know that she did the right. If it wasn't for her, we would have never known."

Lewis said that at this point he is going to let the state do whatever it is they have to and then plans on pressing criminal charges against Henderson himself. "She deserves it," he said. "I don't think she should be allowed to watch kids anymore."