MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) executed a search warrant at a local daycare facility following state regulatory citations for improper discipline, failure to report child abuse, and interference with a state inquiry.

TBI Public Affairs Administrator Carley Gordon confirmed that special agents executed the warrant on Friday (September 18th) at The Learning Zone, located in the 3000 block of Siegel Road in Murfreesboro. Gordon stated that the investigation remains active and ongoing.

The facility has been the subject of an ongoing multi-agency state investigation. Public inspection records from the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) show state licensing officials and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) conducted an unannounced joint complaint investigation at the center on Wednesday (September 16th). Following that visit, the state cited the facility for using inappropriate discipline methods on a child and failing to provide a required incident report to the child's parents. State records confirm the educator involved in that initial incident was terminated.

Inspectors returned to the facility on Friday (September 18th), the same day TBI agents executed their search warrant, and issued three additional severe non-compliance citations:

• "Failure to report child abuse or neglect"

• "Interfering with an abuse or neglect investigation"

• "Failure to maintain capable staff and management"

Updated TDHS compliance documentation reveals the facility subsequently terminated additional employees who were responsible for interfering with the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) investigation.

State records further indicate management acknowledged a "deviation from established reporting procedures." The facility has implemented mandatory retraining for all remaining staff through Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) covering behavior management, mandated reporting, and cooperating with protective service investigations. TDHS has served the center with mandatory Safety Plans to monitor ongoing compliance.

In messages sent to parents, facility management acknowledged receiving licensing violations for improper reporting and improper discipline by an educator. A subsequent message sent to parents confirmed law enforcement agents were on-site at the center. Requests for additional comment sent to management at The Learning Zone were not returned prior to publication.