GREENWOOD — The following is a timeline of events involving daycare operator Jennifer Martinez according to state and court records.
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2015
- Martinez operated a day care without a license on Sassafras Trail in Greenwood
- May 22- Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) found 12 children present inside the day care
- May 22- State licensing left a plan of correction for Martinez requiring her to watch five or fewer unrelated children until she obtained a license
- June 3- FSSA returned and found 9 children present; Martinez told FSSA she was moving to another county
- June 26- FSSA found Sassafras home was vacant
2016
- April 6- The Department of Child Services (DCS) received a report of alleged child neglect at the day care- which was now called “Little Hands, Big Hearts” on Inglewood Court
- The allegations involved children left in portable cribs and high chairs all day, children not properly changed, and too many children for the number of staff
- April 7- FSSA received report from DCS regarding a possible illegal child care home
- April 15- FSSA visited home and Martinez admitted she watched 10 children daily
- April 15- FSSA left a plan of correction with Martinez reminding her she could only watch five or fewer unrelated children at a time in her home
- April 27- A DCS family case manager returned and found 15 children in the day care
- April 29- FSSA mailed a cease and desist order to Martinez
- During the DCS investigation, Martinez admitted there had been a fire at the day care, but it happened when a helper was there and was quickly contained
- May 7- DCS completed its report and found due to lack of evidence and their interview with Martinez, the neglect allegations against Martinez were unsubstantiated
- August 19- FSSA received another complaint about Martinez operating illegally on Inglewood Court
- August 24- FSSA returned and found 10 children present
- August 24- FSSA left another plan of correction with Martinez reminding her she could only watch five or fewer unrelated children at one time in her home
- September 7- In an effort to stop Martinez from operating illegally, on behalf of FSSA, the Indiana Attorney General’s office filed a civil case in Johnson County for preliminary and permanent injunction and civil penalties
2017
- January 25- State and Martinez signed an order prohibiting Martinez from operating an illegal child care home
- The order acknowledged Martinez could care for fewer than six children and Martinez agreed to pay a $3,000 civil fine
- May 10- FSSA denied Martinez’s application for a child care home license
2018
- July 13- Mackenzie Lucas’s face was bruised while at the day care, which was now called “Forever Friends Preschool and Childcare” located on Harvest Moon Drive in Greenwood
- July 14 -DCS received a report about the incident involving Mackenzie and screened out the call, which means it did not meet the threshold for investigation
- July 17- Greenwood Police responded to the day care and found 17 children inside
- July 19- FSSA received a complaint from a parent that Martinez had 13 children inside
- July 20- FSSA visited and found 11 children unrelated to Martinez
- August 17- Attorney General filed a motion in court accusing Martinez of violating the 2017 court order
- September 13- a hearing was held in which Martinez admitted to violating the court order and to being in contempt of court
- September 13- Martinez agreed to come into compliance by watching five or fewer children; she also agreed to two years of unannounced inspections by FSSA, to notify the state and court of any changes in her address, and she agreed to pay $3,600 in civil fines
2019
- January 28- Call 6 Investigates stopped by counted 6 children leaving the day care on Harvest Moon Drive between 4:30 pm and 5:42 pm
- January 28- Property owner of Harvest Moon Drive filed eviction case against Martinez
- February 8- Call 6 Investigates counted five children dropped off between 6 am and 9 am
- February 12- Attorney General’s office filed a new motion against Martinez, saying she’s failed to make the required $50 monthly payments toward the $3,600 civil fine
- February 19- Eviction hearing is held in Johnson County court, but Martinez doesn’t show up
- March 19- Another eviction hearing is scheduled in the eviction case against Martinez
- April 5- Court hearing scheduled in Attorney General/FSSA case
