State Suspends License Of Child Care Center Where Kids' Mouths Allegedly Taped Shut

WARREN (WWJ/AP) - The state has suspended the license of a child care center in Warren, saying kids were hit with sticks and had their mouths taped if they talked too much.

New Creation Thien Lap Learning Center, on Ryan Road near 13 Mile, was shut down last week -- and licensee Esther Tran was ordered not to operate a child care center or accept kids for care, according to a report by The Macomb Daily.

State records indicate Tran and program director Lee Tran hit children with wooden sticks and rulers as a means of discipline and also spanked the kids' buttocks with the same items. At least 11 children interviewed by a DHS worker reported their mouths and those of others were taped shut, The Macomb Daily reported.

Esther Tran told reporters she didn't do anything wrong, and Lee Tran said their actions are being misinterpreted due to cultural differences.

The state Department of Human Services has scheduled an administrative hearing for February.

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