Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a local daycare owner today on charges of evidence destruction and failing to report child abuse, abandonment or neglect. 

According to a sheriff’s office press release, Amanda C. Foust, 77, is the owner of A Child’s Place daycare at 6200 SW Archer Road in southwest Gainesville. She was arrested in connection with two separate child abuse incidents involving Sierra Smith, 21, the release said.

According to the sheriff’s office, during its ongoing investigation into Smith,  detectives determined that Foust allegedly failed to notify the Department of Children and Families of the abuse. By law, Foust is required to report incidents of abuse and neglect.

Detectives say not only did Foust not report abuse she knew about but that she also altered business documents to affect the outcome of the investigation. 

Deputies have booked Foust into the Alachua County jail. 

Mainstreet Daily News called A Child’s Place daycare center to find out more information, but the employee who answered the phone declined to answer questions. The center did not immediately return a voicemail message. 

According to an online listing on Child Care Center US, A Child’s Place has been in operation since 1984. Kimbal Wiles Elementary and Idylwild Elementary are listed as the schools served by the center, which has a max capacity of 181 children.