A former Alabama daycare owner now faces manslaughter charges and 26 additional counts after allegedly forging safety documents and operating without a license while an infant died under her watch.
Story Highlights
- Angelene Chamblee indicted on manslaughter and 26 counts including forgery after infant Autumn Rose Wells died at her unlicensed Red Bay daycare in 2022
- Investigation revealed Chamblee allegedly forged staff safety training documents to cover up regulatory violations
- Infant was left unchecked for two hours on an unsafe sleep surface, found dead with body temperature indicating prolonged neglect
- Former employee Payton Gann already convicted of manslaughter; Chamblee’s trial pending after new evidence presented to grand jury
Negligence and Forgery Compounded Fatal Oversight
Angelene Chamblee surrendered to Franklin County authorities on October 8, 2025, after a grand jury indicted her on manslaughter and 26 additional charges stemming from the March 9, 2022 death of four-month-old Autumn Rose Wells at Tiny Tigers Pre-K in Red Bay, Alabama. The charges include multiple counts of forgery, possession of forged instruments, and operating a daycare without proper licensing. Prosecutors dropped earlier charges in May 2025 to present newly discovered evidence showing Chamblee allegedly falsified safety training records for staff members who never received required instruction. Assistant District Attorney Fallyn Pharr emphasized the office’s commitment to pursuing justice for the Wells family as Chamblee was released on $40,000 bond pending trial.
Watch: Daycare Owner Charged with Manslaughter | Oct. 8, 2025 | News 19 at 10 p.m.
Infant Left Unmonitored on Dangerous Sleep Surface
On the day of her death, Autumn Rose Wells was placed stomach-down on a boppy pillow during naptime—a practice that violates safe sleep guidelines—and left unchecked for approximately two hours. When staff finally discovered the infant unresponsive, her body temperature revealed she had been deceased for nearly the entire duration of that neglectful period. The shocking revelation that basic safety protocols were ignored raises fundamental questions about whether Chamblee’s operation prioritized profit over children’s lives. Former employee Payton Gann was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death, but the discovery of forged training documents during her trial led prosecutors to expand their investigation into Chamblee’s role as owner and administrator of the facility.
Broader Implications for Childcare Accountability
This case has sparked calls for daycare regulatory reform across Alabama, though conservatives rightly worry that the government’s answer will be more regulations rather than enforcing existing ones competently. The Wells family’s tragedy demonstrates that fraudulent operators can exploit bureaucratic gaps when oversight agencies lack resources or accountability mechanisms to verify compliance documentation. Meanwhile, law-abiding daycare providers face increased scrutiny and potential new compliance costs stemming from one operator’s criminal negligence. The legal proceedings continue as Chamblee awaits trial while Gann considers appealing her conviction based partly on revelations about the forged training documents that may have contributed to unsafe conditions throughout the facility.
Sources:
Former Daycare Owner Hit With Slew of New Charges in Infant’s Death – Red Bay News
