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Family Of Child Killed In Sweltering Daycare Van Reacts To Arrests

CORAL GABLES (CBS4) - The family of a four-year old boy, who died after investigators say he was left unattended in a daycare SUV, is sending a strong message to those charged in his death.

Jordan Coleman died August 1.

Cecily Roberts, 43, the owner of 3C's Day Academy in Sunrise, and her daughter, Camille Gordon, 20 were arrested in New York where detectives say they were operating another daycare.   Daycare worker Paris Ward, 19, was arrested in South Florida.  All three face manslaughter charges in the death of Jordan Coleman. Roberts also faces an additional charge of felony child care misrepresentation.

Jordan Coleman's mother Fantasia Goldson has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the daycare.   She said her anger has grown in the two months since her son died.

"I want no mercy. That's how I truly feel because you didn't show no mercy when he was left in a van for two and a half hours,  when he was baking in that car , when his brain was frying where were you?"  She said.

Her mother Melanie James echoed her frustration.  She cried as she spoke of her grandson.  "He was my everything and you didn't care at all.  You left,  you moved on with your life, you went and you opened up a daycare after you killed a baby," she said.

The family's attorney, Stuart Z. Grossman, said the family is relieved criminal charges are also being pursued.

"We're pleased to see the State Attorney's Office has charged them with a significant crime," Grossman told CBS4. "They'd like to see the State's Attorney's Office prosecute them fully under the letter of the law."

Broward Sheriff's Office investigators said the boy had been left in a hot day care SUV at a Tamarac apartment complex for at least two hours before he was found.

"The doctor measured the body temperature of the 4-year-old which came back at 108 degrees," Judge Hurley explained.

Jordan Coleman was supposed to be at the 3 C's DayAcademy in Sunrise on August 1st. Instead, investigators said Ward and another worker loaded the boy and 7 other children into the Toyota Sequoia.

Records showed Roberts had been cited before for having too many children in her daycare and for leaving young children without supervision. Detectives said Jordan and the other children were loaded up and taken out of the daycare because Roberts wanted to avoid the scrutiny of county investigators. Investigators say Roberts was concerned about losing her license.

B.S.O. investigators said Paris Ward initially told them Jordan Coleman collapsed inexplicably while getting in to the SUV. However, detectives say Ward eventually admitted the truth.

Grossman said there is a lesson in Jordan Coleman's death for other parents of children in daycare.

"They need to reiterate to any day care facility our child's not to leave these premises -- not to be transported, not to be taken anywhere, nothing whatsoever -- unless you have our express permission," Grossman said.

The 3C's DayAcademy has been closed since Coleman's death.

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