By Claire Sachse
Kids Palace Learning Center in Landrum closed Friday, Aug. 8, according to Doug Brannon, attorney for the center’s owners. Owned by Shirlene and Billy Inman, the daycare facility is located at 103 S. Lee Ave. in Landrum.An incident report was filed with the Spartanburg Sheriff Office on Aug. 8 regarding a van from the daycare leaving a child behind at the BP gas station on Hwy. 14.
According to the report, the van turned onto the highway and then turned around to retrieve the child. The child appeared unharmed and was recovered by the daycare worker, the report stated.
Attempts to reach the mother of the child by the Bulletin staff were unsuccessful.
A call to the daycare facility’s owners, Shirlene and Billy Inman, on Wednesday was returned by their attorney.
Brannon said that he was retained three weeks prior to the daycare’s closing to assist the owners with the process of closing the business. He said that the incident on Aug. 8 was not what led them to close their business. Brannon said that an incident that occurred in February “weighed heavily on their mind” in their decision to close the business.
“After 19 years in business, the Inmans made the business decision to close,” said Brannon.
According to news reports, the Department of Social Services is investigating the February incident. Calls by the Bulletin staff to DSS were not returned.
As Billy Inman is a Landrum City Council member, the Spartanburg Sheriff’s Office wrote the Aug. 8 incident report due to a possible conflict of interest with Landrum City Police.