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Father Breaks Into Westport Day Care To Rescue Daughter

WESTPORT (CBS) – A father claims he was forced to break into a day care in Westport to rescue his little girl, because the staff left for the day and left his daughter locked inside.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mark Katic reports

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Keith Paquette went to the Westport Country Day School just after 5 p.m. Monday to pick up his 3-year-old daughter Samantha Jo, 15 minutes before closing time.

But no one was there.  After making several frantic phone calls a teacher showed up.

Then they heard Paquette's daughter crying inside.

"When she started screaming and screaming my name, I didn't know if she was hurt.  So, the patience left and the first thing that was there was a bike and that went into the door," Paquette told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Wednesday.

Paquette found his daughter alone in a bathroom, shaking and crying.

"I had no idea where she was. I didn't know if someone took her. I didn't know if she had run off. I didn't know if I was going to see my daughter again at that point. It was a horrible feeling," Paquette's wife Paula said.

Westport Police Detective Antonio Cestodio told WBZ that day care procedures were not followed.

"One is that as a child is picked up, they cross their name off a list. There is a sweep or a search of the building (at the end of the day) and the employee reported that that was done, but obviously it wasn't done correctly."

Police and the state Department of Children and Families are now looking into the incident.

The center's director has been in contact with DCF, but would not comment further.

"I've never had any problem with anybody there.  They've always showed great care and a lot of love for my daughter and I'm sure they feel terrible," Keith Paquette said.  "But the trust is gone."

Samantha Jo Paquette started at a new preschool Wednesday.

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