Inset: Janaina P. Ferreira (North Charleston Police Dept.). Background: The South Carolina apartment complex where Ferreira allegedly ran an illegal day care (Google Maps)
A 30-year-old South Carolina woman accused of operating an illegal day care from her apartment allegedly left eight young children alone inside an apartment that caught fire while she was away, authorities said.
Janaina Pio Ferreira was taken into custody last week and charged with eight counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, according to authorities in North Charleston.
According to a news release from the North Charleston Police Department, at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, officers and firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire at the Arbor Square Apartments in the 2600 block of Otranto Road North.
“When emergency crews arrived, they discovered eight juveniles inside the apartment without adult supervision,” the release states. “Officers were told the fire suppression system put out the fire before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.”
A short time after authorities reached the scene, Ferreira, the resident of the apartment where the fire started, arrived back at her home “with several additional children.”
Authorities say they determined that Ferreira had been “operating an illegal day care from the apartment” and was responsible for caring for the children but had left them unattended inside the residence while the fire broke out.
Authorities later took Ferreira into custody and booked her on eight counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, one charge for each child allegedly left inside the apartment during the fire, according to the police news release.
Police did not immediately disclose the ages of the children in the home or how long they were allegedly left unattended.
After the children’s parents were contacted about the incident, Ferreira was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the Al Cannon Detention Center for processing.
“The North Charleston Fire Department conducted their investigation and concluded that the fire was due to a faulty aftermarket knob to the stove,” the release said. “NCPD and NCFD are currently collaborating on an ongoing investigation.”
According to a report from local ABC affiliate WCIV, investigators said they believe one of the children left a backpack on top of the stove, which then caught fire.
“Kids, sometimes play with fire, sometimes they play with stoves, sometimes they turn on stoves,” NCFD Chief Deputy Christian Rainey told the station. “We could have been having a totally different talk today — a totally different story.”
Tiffani Lockwood, who owns and operates a nearby child care center, said she did not understand how a parent could choose to send their children to illegally operated facilities.
“You’re really playing Russian roulette with your kids,” she said.
Ferreira is currently being held on $200,000 bond, $25,000 for each charge, records show. She is scheduled to appear in court for her first appearance on May 1.
