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Tammy Lewis Engel, the owner of the day care center.

Gabriel Falcon
AC360° Writer

The owner of an Indiana day care center has been arrested for allegedly using methamphetamine inside the facility, authorities in Evansville said Monday.

The owner, Tammy Lewis Engel, 43, was charged with methamphetamine possession, marijuana possession, and drug paraphernalia possession.

A second suspect, Gene Michael Hoover, 32, was charged with dealing methamphetamine out of the day care center. He was also accused of methamphetamine possession and child neglect.

Gene Michael Hoover was charged with dealing methamphetamine out of the day care center.

According to the Evansville Police Department, patrol officers responded Sunday evening to reports of drug use at Your Day Care, a licensed child care center operating within Engel's home.

When the officers arrived, they observed a man smoking meth inside the home, police said. A news release alleges three grams of methamphetamine packaged for sale, marijuana and a marijuana pipe were recovered from the scene.

Three children were in the residence at the time the drugs were found, according to the police news release.

One police official, who asked not to be identified because of the ongoing investigation, said the day care center has been in existence for around 20 years. The official told CNN she removed her young child from the facility about two months ago because, in her words “something wasn’t sitting right.”

“I had some suspicions, but I didn’t have any confirmation, but I was uncomfortable with it,” she said. “I just knew it was a matter of time.”

Both suspects were denied bail. They are being held at the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.

Police said the day care center’s license is in the process of being revoked.

For more crime coverage go to cnn.com/crime.