Employee Threatened Daycare to Trigger Lockdown So She Could Avoid Outdoor Recess in Heat Wave

A woman in Kentucky has been accused of sending threats to the daycare she worked at in an attempt to trigger a lockdown so that she and the children could stay inside during a heat wave.

Kayla Mae Canler was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree terroristic threatening and one count of making a false report that generates an emergency response.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that deputies responded to a report of violent threats against a daycare facility on August 13. After the deputies made sure the facility was secure, investigators set out to find a couple after they were told that a former employee or her spouse were behind the threats.

The two “believed suspects” were located and agreed to speak to investigators, while authorities also submitted emergency requests for both of their social media and email data information. The former employee and her husband were questioned for several hours before they were cleared and released.

Another threat was reported the following day at Bluegrass Farms Learning Center and Bluegrass Farms Christian Academy. Deputies secured the facilities before they investigated the reports.

The threats were later traced to a cell phone and IP address that was located at one of the daycare facilities. Detectives then started to interview the employees, and Canler, 27, allegedly admitted that she sent the threatening messages.

“I will be here all day I see yall blocking off everything NO ONE IS SAFE. Better get all the kids out of the building now it’s not over I didn’t get in trouble yesterday so with that being said,” one message read, according to a copy of the probable cause affidavit obtained by the Bowling Green Daily News.

Canler allegedly told authorities that she sent the threats because she did not want to go outside with the children due to the heat. The temperature reached the high 90s on both days that the texts were sent.

“Kayla provided information pertaining to the messages and her motive for sending the messages,” the affidavit said, per the outlet. “She stated she did not want to be outside in the heat with the children and knew the messages would trigger a lockdown and they would remain inside.”

Following her arrest, Canler was taken into custody at Warren County Regional Jail. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing, and the case was sent to a grand jury to be considered for an indictment.

It’s not currently clear if Canler has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.