4-year-old found wandering away from Albany daycare, police investigating

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - An investigation into how a toddler wandered off from his Albany daycare, and into a busy street, is underway.

Around noon on Friday, March 22, a 4-year-old walked out of Graceland Institute for Early Learning and was walking near this busy highway when two drivers spotted him.

Willie McMillian, a concerned grandparent, says it’s vital to always keep track when watching children.

“The way the world is now, it’s so many things that’s happening. And you find a child leaving a daycare you know would make any parent or grandparent upset,” McMillian.

Upset is a word many parents and grandparents use after learning of the incident.

Drivers on the highway flagged down a state trooper with Georgia State Patrol, who happened to be in the area, when they saw the little boy.

WALB called the daycare to see if they would speak about the incident and was told someone would call me back. When we tried to speak to the owner in person, no one came to the door.

According to a statement sent by the Dougherty County Police Department, the daycare is currently under investigation and charges are pending against those involved.

Cristina McLellan, a mother of two, says she is disappointed in the situation, but thinks the daycare should make corrections and not be completely condemned.

“You should have more adults watching less kids because it’s hard. Even as a parent, I have a hard time with my two. I know what it’s like to watch 30 kids at one time. I’m not saying the daycare is completely at fault, but there should be some kind of security around,” McLellan said.

While looking into Graceland Institute of Early Learning, WALB saw they are in good standing with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. However, a previous incident involving a lack of supervision was reported in August 2023 after one-year-old had a busted lip and staff were unaware of how it happened.

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