
(Photo by Eric Stock/WJBC)
By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – A woman from Normal faces criminal charges for allegedly lying on social media and then to authorities that her toddler child had been abused at a local daycare center.
Normal Police arrested Tricia Danyus, 31, for obstructing justice and filing a false report.
Danyus allegedly claimed the child was abused at A Shining Star Learning Center at 17 Traders Circle in Normal.
Police Chief Rick Bleichner issued a news release late Wednesday afternoon, saying his department won’t tolerate false reports for any crime, but this one’s especially troubling because the child abuse complaint was “patently false.”
The chief said the case unnecessarily took the time and resources from police detectives and investigators from the Department of Children and Family Services.
Bleichner said the daycare center cooperated “fully and immediately” with the investigation, and authorities found no wrongdoing by A Shining Star Learning Center.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]