The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 03:03 PM
Babysitting In-Home Daycare Ordered To Stop Operations Two Months Before Deputies Say Twin Toddlers Were Found In Deep End Of Pool
The babysitter, Jennifer Salley, had operated an in-home daycare called "OM Baby" out of the residence since 2015, according to the Tennessee County Clerk's Office. At the time of the drownings, Salley's own two children were in the custody of family members. Why she didn't have custody of her children is unknown at this time.
On May 17, deputies with the Knox County Sheriff's Office responded to Salley's residence in the 8800 block of Fox Lonas Road help the Department of Human Services serve an order telling Salley to "cease conducting a child care center inside of her home."
DHS said the visit was prompted by a complaint to its hotline that she was operating an unlicensed daycare center. DHS said it visited the home several times. When a field supervisor visited Salley's home with KCSO to serve paperwork May 17, a spokesman said they observed eight children at the residence.
The papers filed by DHS against Salley noted that she was keeping more than four unrelated children in her home for more than three hours per day, and therefore operating a childcare agency without a valid license as required by law. Salley signed the order, which was filed three days later on May 21.
DHS said it had not received anymore complaints about Salley since she was served those papers.
Salley answered a phone call from WVLT News on Monday, but hung up before any question could be asked about the DHS incident.
On Friday morning, twins Elyssa and Elijah Orejuela were taken to East Tennessee Children's Hospital after they were pulled from Salley's pool in West Knoxville.
A KCSO spokeswoman said Monday the incident is still under investigation, and that all evidence will be presented to the district attorney for possible charges.
KCSO said the first twin, Elyssa, died Friday night. On Sunday afternoon, a spokesperson for East Tennessee Children's Hospital told WVLT News that Elijah had passed away.
Late Sunday night, the twin's father told WVLT News that information was not correct. It's unclear where the discrepancy came from.
