Ask most parents what one of their biggest challenges is, and they’ll likely tell you something that has to do with child care. Finding reliable and safe care for your children is like finding a unicorn in the forest, so when you finally find a place that works for your family, you never want to let it go. But what happens when that place you trusted betrays you? That’s the question parents in Anderson, South Carolina, are asking themselves. They are being forced to find new child care options after New Prospect Baptist Church Preschool announced it was closing after an incident with a student.
Leadership at the church announced to the congregation on December 14, 2025, that they would be closing the preschool on January 30, 2026, WHNS reported.
They explained that after conducting a detailed evaluation of the program, it was determined that “operational and financial demands required to maintain a licensed childcare program have increased significantly.” The decision came “after prayerful consideration,” leaders shared in the announcement.
“Our preschool has been a meaningful ministry for many years, and this decision was made with great care,” Pastor Drew explained. “We are deeply grateful for the children, families, and staff who have been part of this community. Our commitment during this transition is to communicate clearly, operate responsibly, and support our families with compassion.”
The decision comes about a month after parents raised concern when they learned their 2-year-old daughter had been tied to a chair.
Victoria and Slade Lambert spoke with WHNS, telling the outlet the incident took place on November 14. They were informed by a teacher who saw it happen a week later. That teacher told the parents she took a photo and reported it to the interim director of the preschool the same day. Nothing was done. A week later, the teacher quit and sent the image to the Lamberts.
“Just to think that you’re handing your kid off to someone and they’ve been there since she was eight weeks old, you’d think that they would care for her and would want to let us know if something did happen,” Victoria Lambert told WHNS. “But, apparently, that was not the case.”
The parents noticed a difference in their daughter after the incident. Before, she loved to sit in her high chair. But after being tied to the chair, she began “whining” when she saw it. At first, they were confused, but then it started to make sense.
New Prospect Baptist Church Preschool provided a statement to WHNS regarding the incident. “The incident was thoroughly investigated by proper external agencies and the responsible staff member was immediately terminated on November 20, when we became aware of the policy violation. If you have any future questions please direct them to DSS,” the statement read.
In a Facebook post, the church said it “immediately notified” the South Carolina Department of Social Services and “filed a report.” It assured families that “after completing their review, the police cleared the preschool.”
“We understand that this situation has raised concerns. Our goal has been and will continue to be to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children to learn and thrive.”
