LEFLORE COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – A Leflore County woman was arrested for child care fraud after an investigation by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Service (MDHS).
According to investigators, Towanda Ware, the owner and operator of Bright Beginnings Daycare and Bright Beginnings Daycare II, received monies through the childcare voucher program in the amount of $441,776.37. They said Ware received the monies for children that did not attend the center from January 2017 to December 2019.
MDHS officials said the case was turned over to the Leflore County District Attorney’s Office and was presented to the Grand Jury for criminal prosecution.
An indictment was issued for Ware on June 20, 2022, and she turned herself in to MDHS-Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Leflore County officials through her attorney on Thursday, July 14.
Suspected fraud can be reported to MDHS online by submitting the MDHS Fraud Tip Form at https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/report-fraud/, calling the Fraud Tip Line at 1-(800)-299-6905, or email at fraud@mdhs.ms.gov.