A toddler was found safe Monday night after spending several hours locked inside a Dallas day care van.
Ronnie Ross' family found him locked in the van at about 9:30 p.m., hours after Tom Thumb Nursery and Pre-K closed for the night. The 3-year-old boy was supposed to be dropped off at his grandmother's house before 6 p.m., police said.
Ronnie's mother and grandmother went to the day care in the 2800 block of South Beckley after they were unsuccessful in calling the center. They found the boy inside the van, which was locked in a large cage.
"The fire department came out and cut the cage on where the van was stored, and they were able to talk the boy into unlocking the door," Senior Cpl. Janice Crowther said.
Paramedics checked the little boy and released him to his mother. Police said they boy was scared and hungry, but otherwise fine.
Police said they are considering firing criminal charges once they learn which driver was responsible for the child.
State inspectors reviewed the day care center current operations and past inspection history on Tuesday, said Marissa Gonzales , a spokeswoman for Texas Child Care Licensing.
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"Minimum standards do require that there be a list of passengers in the van to make sure that you check them off when you pick them up or drop them off," Gonzales said.
She said the center's license could be revoked over the incident.
Texas lawmakers are considering "Jacob's Law," a tougher set of day care transportation rules named after Jacob Fox, a 4-year-old who died in July 2006 after he was left in a hot van.
Click here to view Tom Thumb Nursery's past state inspection records.
