A 31-year-old woman who ran a home daycare in Carson City was arrested Monday after authorities found seven young children trapped inside covered playpens.
Taylor Ashley Wendell faces eight counts of child abuse. Deputies with the Carson City Sheriff's Office responded to the home in the 1100 block of Riegefield Drive shortly before 2 p.m. Monday after a 5-year-old boy was found crying on the sidewalk outside.
Wendell told officers she had not noticed the boy had left the house. Inside, deputies discovered 11 playpens in one room, some stacked or covered with sheets and boxes that blocked airflow and prevented the children from climbing out.
Seven children ages 5 and younger were removed from the playpens and returned to their parents. The Department of Child and Family Services was notified. Wendell was booked into the Carson City County Jail and later released on bond.