FARMINGTON — No criminal charges will be brought against the owner of the Farmington day care center where two 3-year-old children disappeared for two hours Monday, Assistant District Attorney Claire Andrews said.

“We would not be able to meet our burden of proof based on the information provided,” Andrews said. “She did everything she could to find the children.”

Once the owner, Anita Sweetser, saw that the children were missing, she immediately got help from three other adults to search for them and then called the police, Andrews said.

Based on the information Andrews received from Sweetser and responding officers, there was not enough evidence that Sweetser was acting with criminal negligence to meet the burden of proof the state would have to meet.

The children were found safe and unharmed a half-mile down the road from the day care center, when a neighbor saw the children at her home and called police to tell them she had found the missing toddlers.

In regard to Sweetser’s duties as a day care provider, Andrews said the Department of Health and Human Services is conducting its own investigation into the matter, but stressed this would not be a criminal investigation.

Lauren Abbate — 861-9252

labbate@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Lauren_M_Abbate


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