The parents of a four-year-old Hillsborough County girl are holding her a little tighter Friday after deputies said she was left in a daycare’s van alone.

  • Van blew a tire; when replacement arrived, one child left behind
  • Blowout occurred in front of county transportation building
  • Daycare issued an apology

According to deputies, the Orient Road Child Development Center’s van blew a tire Friday afternoon. When a replacement van showed up, three of the kids in car seats were transferred to the other van, but four year-old Mikayla Beasley was left behind, sleeping in the back seat for more than an hour.

The van broke down in front of the Hillsborough County Transportation building on Harney Road. Investigators said Mikayla was spotted getting out of the van after she woke up, and brought into the building.

It was then that deputies were called to the building. They ran the van’s tag number, and based on that information were able to figure out where Mikayla was missing from.

The daycare center's owners called it a terrible mistake.

“It is very jarring, because me, even as a parent and as part of the ownership of this center, it’s very frustrating, heart wrenching and my heart goes out to the parents, as well as the teachers, as well as anyone looking at this," said Orient Road Child Development Center Co-owner, LeCandis Donaldson. "So at this time we can definitely deeply say that we are sorry. Our goal is to keep children safe."

Donaldson said the two employees who left the Mikayla in the van are now out of a job, and the daycare's van transportation services have been suspended.

Mikayla’s mother, Mikesha Beasley said she’s still in shock.

“I felt like my soul was gone," said Beasley, "Like I said, I hear this every day on TV, but all I could say was 'wow.'“

“I know a lot of things [sic] is a mistake, but luckily pray to God nothing did not happen to her, but as a parent I’m gonna think what would have happened, because once again we’re talking about a whole road full of trucks. She could’ve got hit. Somebody could’ve snatched her," said Beasley.