While police combed the area looking for the suspect in the armed robbery of the Bank of America branch at Braemar Village Plaza, KinderCare Learning Center, located next door, went into lockdown at the request of police Thursday afternoon.
"We took immediate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our children and staff by imposing a lockdown," Center Director Shirl Vandiver said. "During a lockdown, our teachers and staff remain in their classrooms and close and lock all windows and doors."
Vandiver explained that her staff initiated security procedures while making sure not to alarm the children.
"Our teachers do this in a way that isn’t frightening to children, and approach the situation calmly and quietly," she said.
Throughout the event, she said her staff maintained the security of the premise by monitoring the entrance and limiting access to the facility.
"A member of center management stayed at our front door during the lockdown to ensure the only people allowed in our center were parents and their children," she said.
The facility remained in lockdown until they closed at 6:30 p.m.
One parent expressed her gratitude to police officers for protecting the children in the center.
"I am grateful to the police for protecting everyone, including the kids at the Kindercare where my daughter was," she said on Facebook. "Her class saw everything from the windows, but still they managed to keep them from seeing much; thanks to the wonderful officers outside her daycare for giving her a hug after she thanked them from keeping her safe."
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