Wichita day care ordered to pay $40,000 in penalties after pretending to be licensed
A Wichita day care provider is being ordered to pay over $40,000 in fees and penalties after pretending to be licensed by using government forms.
Monica Balfour, who owns Tia’s Childcare, is accused of violating the Kansas Consumer Protection Act by acting as a unlicensed day care provider and using Kansas Department of Health and Environment forms to present the appearance of being licensed, according to a news release from the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
The DA’s office issued a default judgment against Balfour for these “deceptive and unconscionable acts,” the release said.
The city of Wichita has cited Balfour four times since 2019 for offering unregulated childcare, a court petition document filed Friday shows.
“[She] continues to provide childcare without applying for or obtaining a license as required by law,” the petition said.
Court documents show she operated the unlicensed day care out of her west Wichita home.
“The Court found these alleged violations to be deceptive under the KCPA. As part of the ruling, the Court ordered Monica Balfour to pay $40,000.00 in civil penalties, as well as court costs and investigation fees,” the release said.
Balfour is permanently restricted from offering childcare in Kansas without a license and cannot do so until all costs from the fine and fees have been paid, the DA’s office said.
The default judgment was ordered Sept. 5 by Sedgwick County District Judge William Woolley.