FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - The Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) says a 32-year-old Fort Wayne daycare operator is facing charges after allegedly leaving three young children who were in his care unattended in a car with a firearm back in November.

FWPD says Jermaine Williams, 32, is facing three neglect charges after a caller reported that children were left alone in the Glenbrook Square parking lot on Monday, Nov. 18.

The caller notified police around 2:12 p.m., saying she believed the children had been left in an SUV in the mall’s parking lot for at least 20 minutes, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The affidavit says when the officer checked the SUV, he found two 2-year-olds and a 3-year-old inside who were out of their seats and moving around. The officer said the SUV was also left unlocked.

Documents say Williams returned to the SUV around 2:25 p.m. and told the officer the children were his own. He later said he provided childcare for the children, showing the officer a document stating he operated the “More Love Learning Center”.

Williams allegedly told the officer he went inside the mall to return some shoes and that “the line was long”.

While speaking with the officer, Williams also admitted that there was a firearm inside the SUV. The officer also found there was only one child seat for the three children.

Police reviewed security footage and found Williams went inside the mall at 1:53 p.m. before returning to his car about 30 minutes later.

Williams faces three felony charges of neglect of a dependent.

"The Fort Wayne Police Department thanks the brave citizen who reported this crime, and all the staff and personnel at the Glenbrook Mall who assisted us in this investigation," officers wrote in a release.

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