GRANADA HILLS : Woman Pleads Not Guilty to Endangering Child
A Granada Hills woman pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that she ran a child-care operation illegally out of her home, and punished a 4-year-old by locking him inside a car in a dark garage.
Mary Ann Torres, 48, entered her plea to one misdemeanor count each of operating an unlicensed day-care center and child endangerment. Los Angeles Municipal Judge Martin Suits set a June 14 pretrial hearing.
Torres is accused of running the Torres Family Day Care on Babbit Avenue even though her license was revoked in 1993 for failing to comply with regulations.
She denies mistreating a young boy who allegedly was found locked in her car Oct. 31. An investigation by the city attorney’s office into Torres’ facility was prompted by a call from the boy’s mother, who said her son was locked in the car when she picked him up, and that he was being punished for crying. Torres has said the child got locked in the car by accident.
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