Fayetteville woman was keeping 26 children at time of girl's drowning

Melissa Ann Ortiz-Fikes had more than two dozen children at her 'unofficial daycare' at the time a two-year-old girl drowned in a pool at the home. Now the child's mother is demanding answers and accountability.
Posted 10/3/2025, 9:47:52 PM Updated 10/3/2025, 10:00:09 PM

APPEARANCE TOMORROW AS VIGILS

AT 2.30 AT THE SOUTHPORT

WATERFRONT FROM 2.30, UNTIL

3.30, A FAYETTEVILLE WOMAN

CHARGED WITH RUNNING AN

UNLICENSED DAYCARE WHERE A

CHILD DROWNED.

>> APPEARED IN COURT THIS

AFTERNOON. TODAY. PROSECUTORS

REVEALED 26 CHILDREN WERE IN

THE HOME AND THE IN-HOME CENTER

ON LOCKERBIE COURT WHEN A ONE

YEAR-OLD DIED LAST MONTH.

WRAL'S WHEN SNYDER HAS THE

GROWING DEMAND FOR ANSWERS FROM

THE CHILD'S MOTHER.

>> THIS IS HER HALLOWEEN PJ'S

AND EVERYTHING. JUST KIND OF

WHERE GINGER COLDER REMEMBERS

HER ONE YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER

GIANNA'S FAVORITE THINGS.

HE WAS ALWAYS A HAPPY BABY TO

LOVE, GETTING PAID THE THAT

GIRL LIKE TO EAT HER MEMORIES

TURNED TO GRIEF AFTER

EXPERIENCING EVERY PARENT'S

WORST NIGHTMARE OUT WITH THAT

WAY. IT ACTS LIKE A REGULAR

DAY THEM SPY. MY HUSBAND CAME

TO MY JOB. HE TOLD ME THAT.

I DO. AND I AND I BOW DOWN INTO

THIS COLDER SAYS GIANNA DROWNED

IN A POOL AT THIS IN-HOME

DAYCARE LAST MONTH,

FAYETTEVILLE POLICE ARRESTED

MELISSA ORTIZ FIKES WHO RAN

THE CENTER AND REVEALED THAT

FACILITY WAS UNLICENSED.

ONE OF THE WORKERS WAS OUTSIDE.

SHE TOOK HER EYESIGHT FROM

CHANGING FOR 2 MINUTES. AND

THAT'S HOW SHE GOT IN THE POOL.

IT DON'T MAKE SENSE FOR WRAL'S

KEELY. ARTHUR WENT TO THE

IN-HOME DAYCARE ARE WONDERING

WHY YOU'RE OPERATING A DAY CARE

WITHOUT A LICENSE.

A WOMAN WHO SAID SHE LIVED AT

THE HOUSE REFUSED TO ANSWER

OUR QUESTIONS. REPRESENTATIVE

FROM HIS OFFICE FLAKES APPEARED

IN COURT FRIDAY CHARGED WITH 3

COUNTS OF PROVIDING CHILD CARE

WITHOUT A LICENSE. PROSECUTORS

REVEALED 26 KIDS WERE AT THE

HOME WHEN GIANNA DIED. THEY

SAY FIGHTS CONTINUED OPERATING

THE DAYCARE.

>> EVEN AFTER THE DROWNING

AFTER LACI, THE MONSTER.

>> YOU MUST HAVE BECAUSE YOU

STILL RANK A DAYCARE LIKE IT

WAS NORMAL. YOU DIDN'T INFORM

THE PARENTS THAT.

A WAR HERO DIED IN YOUR HOUSE.

THEN I MADE A COLLAGE OF HER IN

ANYTHING FOR HER SAYS MY

BIRTHDAY. THE MOTHER NOW

DEMANDING ANSWERS AS SHE SEEKS

TO HOLD THOSE ACCOUNTABLE FOR

HER DAUGHTER'S DEATH INSIDER

WRAL NEWS.

>> JUST SO TERRIBLY SAD.

CALDER BELIEVES SHE DID ALL

THAT SHE COULD TO VET THE

DAYCARE PARENTS CAN VIEW

RECORDS FOR ALL LICENSED CHILD

CARE FACILITIES ON THE STATE'S

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES WEBSITE. FIKES IS