Enid police say three people were arrested in two separate daycare investigations involving 349 total alleged offenses and nearly $68,700 in alleged losses. The complaints span several categories, including obtaining money by bogus check, uttering a forged instrument, embezzlement and theft from a building, according to KFOR and News 9.
The allegations against each suspect
Candice Mae Ritchie, 43, a daycare director, faces 24 complaints of obtaining money by bogus check, 24 complaints of uttering a forged instrument and one complaint of embezzlement. News 9 reported that police attributed $8,954 in alleged losses to her case. Her husband, 48-year-old Mark Allen Ritchie, faces 121 complaints in each of the first two categories and one complaint of theft from a building. KFOR reported that police put the alleged losses in his case at $43,034.
Barbara Ellen Laster, 69, worked as a teacher at another daycare. Police said she faces 28 complaints of obtaining money by bogus check, 28 complaints of uttering a forged instrument and one complaint of embezzlement. KFOR reported that the facility connected to her case had $16,710 in alleged losses. The listed complaints across all three cases total 349 alleged offenses, while the reported losses total approximately $68,700.
What police said about the investigation
News 9 reported that the inquiry began in mid-July after the owner of two daycares reported suspected misconduct involving employees at the facilities. Enid police said Detective Jordan O’Reilly linked checks under investigation to transactions at an area business and used security-camera footage to identify suspects, according to the outlet.
Police said the two investigations were separate and that Ritchie and Laster were unaware of each other’s alleged activity. KFOR reported that the investigation remained ongoing; the allegations have not been proven in court.
How state child-care oversight fits in
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services describes the state’s child-care licensing requirements as minimum standards for the care and protection of children outside their homes. According to Oklahoma Department of Human Services, those licensing standards do not determine whether a person committed a crime. Separately, the Oklahoma Human Services Office of Inspector General says its Administrative Review Unit conducts child-care audits focused on compliance with state and federal law and violations involving subsidized child-care payments. That is a separate oversight function from the private business-check allegations described in the Enid cases, according to Oklahoma Human Services.
