NH daycare provider accused of being drunk on the job

LONDONDERRY, N.H. — Police have charged a local daycare provider with being drunk while a 3-year-old boy was in her care.

Police say they got calls from parents last week, when Lois Ann Mirbach didn't answer the door at the Adventures in Learning child care center.

When police arrived at the center, they said Mirbach had been drinking and had the boy with her.

"Believe me if we had any inkling at all that she was under the influence, us as responsible parents would have pulled the plug long ago,” Jim Edmonds, the boy’s father, said.

Edmonds said his 3-year-old son had been at the daycare for nearly 10 hours, but didn't know anything was wrong until a school bus was unable to drop off his two older sons.

The school principal called Edmonds' wife, who then passed the message along to her husband who went straight to the daycare.

"I asked her what the problem is. My younger kids were dropped off. Where were you? Were you sleeping? Were you out? Is there traffic? Is my 3-year-old ok,” he said.

Police officers arrived moments later and according to a report obtained by FOX25 officers said she appeared to be drunk.

"Our officers detected an odor of alcohol and she was displaying some signs of intoxication,” Londonderry Police Det. Christopher Olson said.

Police say Mirbach almost fell over at one point and they noticed that the oven had been left on at 350 degrees.

"Was she drinking more than one time with them? Was she driving around drunk with our 3-year-old kid? Makes wonder how long this was going on for,” Edomonds said.

She's charged with endangering the welfare of a child and is due back in court next month. The daycare center has been shut down.

Cox Media Group