Police investigate threatening phone calls to daycare

Police in Scottsdale are investigating threatening phone calls that were made to a Valley daycare that has caused disruptions to the facility.

The calls reportedly prompted a lockdown one day, and the center was closed on Thursday. Parents are understandably concerned.

The calls to Bright Horizons daycare reportedly began on Friday. On the Thursday after, the playground at the daycare stands empty. Russel Finehout's daughter, one-year-old Aria, attends the daycare facility.

"The person called in, and they asked how many children they had at the daycare, and he said that those children will soon be gone," said Finehout.

A parent has provided FOX 10 Phoenix copies of e-mails sent to parents. A message sent on Sunday stated:

The police have asked us to reassure families that they are vigilant about this situation, and that there is no reason that the center should not open and operate as usual.

On Thursday, however, the facility received a second threat.

"This threat was definitely a lot more threatening, and very direct from the first," said Finehout. "Somebody basically said they were going to come and kidnap the children."

According to an e-mail sent Thursday morning, police had cleared the daycare center to open its doors, but the center chose to stay closed.

"They should have taken a lot more action than they did last week, and it let up to something like this," said Finehout.

Scottsdale Police said they are investigating the threatening calls, but the damage may have already been done. Finehout said his family will not return to the facility.

"It's my daughter," said Finehout. "She's my whole world. I couldn't imagine anything happening to her."