CEDAR HILLS, Ore. — Parents were shocked Monday morning when their daycare unexpectedly shut down.
Now they’re scrambling to find a new place to care for their children. And employees are wondering if they’ll ever get paid.
Parents arrived Monday morning to the Funtastic ChildCare center in Cedar Hills and found the place closed. Former employees of the center were there to meet the parents.
It was an emotional day for many.
Employees and parents said they were given less than 24 hours notice. Some parents didn’t know until they arrived with their children Monday morning and were turned away.
“I came here to drop my son off for school and there’s nothing,” said parent Lisa Chapelle. “I don’t know where to put him.”
“She’s been here since she was zero months old,” said parent Jason Goynes of his daughter. “She’s going on 2, she’s been here a while and really likes the teachers. We really like the daycare center so we’re pretty disappointed."
About 10 employees were supposed to be paid last Friday but weren’t. It’s been six weeks since their last payday.
“It’s like they didn’t even think of us,” said Natasha Kujawa. “What’s going to happen to us? Some of us have bills to pay.”
The couple that owns Funtastic lives in Costa Rica and didn’t respond to texts from KGW. So we knocked on the door of Joann Williamson, the woman described by employees as family to them, who is in charge of business at the daycare center.
She didn’t answer the door but said over the phone later Monday that she is surprised as anyone by the closure.
Employees said it’s a tough day, not only losing their jobs but also having to say goodbye to the families they served.
“It’s more than just a job,” Kujawa said. “I really care for my kids and I have connections with them. We built relationships and trust and that’s what’s really important to me.”
Editor's note: The original version of this article misidentified Joann Williamson.