HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The owner of an unlicensed Hall County daycare and one of her employees have been indicted on nearly a dozen child cruelty charges after authorities alleged children in their care were given high levels of medication.
Stacie Fuller Young and her daughter-in-law, Ptiery Verby-Sunshine Edge, were indicted last week on 11 counts of cruelty to children.
According to the indictment, 11 children were given diphenhydramine, an antihistamine commonly sold under the brand name Benadryl. Two of the children were also given melatonin.
Hall County officials said the children had attended Young’s daycare since November 2023. A reported change in the children’s behavior began in October 2024.
Authorities said bloodwork showed levels of diphenhydramine in the children that were described as being in the “high” range.
Young was not licensed to operate a child care program, according to the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, or DECAL. Under state requirements, Young could not legally provide care for more than two children for compensation without a license.
DECAL began investigating the operation Jan. 6, 2025, and issued Young a cease-and-desist order the following day.
Young and Edge had previously posted bond but were taken back into custody over the weekend, according to Hall County jail records.
The allegations against Young and Edge are contained in an indictment and have not resulted in convictions.
DECAL is urging parents to verify the licensing status of child care providers before placing children in their care.
“DECAL strongly advises parents to verify the licensing status of any child care provider by visiting QualityRated.org or contacting the agency directly,” the agency said in a statement. “We encourage anyone with information about unlicensed child care operations or concerns regarding child safety to report them.”
Concerns about unlicensed child care operations or child safety can be reported to DECAL at 404-656-5957 or ccscomplaints@decal.ga.gov.
