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Former daycare owner arrested after fire left multiple children hurt in Portsmouth

Portsmouth police confirmed Friday they served an arrest warrant for Dewanna Seward. Neighbors say she ran her daycare where an April fire hurt multiple children.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Portsmouth woman is now facing a long list of charges, months after a fire at a Portsmouth townhome left multiple children hurt.

A grand jury indicted Dewanna Seward on 19 different counts of child neglect and cruelty charges.

Portsmouth police said they served an arrest warrant Friday to officially bring Seward into custody.

Court records show Seward's address as Greenwood Drive in Portsmouth, the location where a fire broke out at a townhome on April 4. That's the same offense date on the documents.

On that day, firefighters rescued two children from the top floor of the townhome.

Fire crews said five other children escaped on their own before first responders sent them all to the nearest hospital. Two of those children ended up in the intensive care unit.

Neighbors told 13News Now crews that day the person living there operated a daycare business inside the townhome.

According to the State Corporation Commission's Office website, Seward owned a daycare called "Indoor-Outdoor Reach LLC." On that page, Seward's business is listed as "inactive."

A spokesman with the Dept. of Education said his department did not have a daycare license on file under Seward's name. 

Leaders with the State Department of Education said they recommended an investigation into the program when they learned she did not have a daycare license.

On the capias form filed in court, the Commonwealth recommended a reasonable secured bond with conditions not allowed to supervise any child in any capacity who is under the age of 14.

 

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