Colorado preschool closes amid child abuse allegations against staff member

A preschool in Steamboat Springs is now closed less than a week after a staff member was arrested during a child abuse investigation.

The state shut down Young Tracks Preschool and Childcare Center and suspended its license. Steamboat Springs police said the Routt County Department of Human Services notified them of the abuse on Feb. 6, and they immediately began investigating.

One day later, authorities arrested Alma Montez. The Steamboat Springs Police Department said she had been a teacher at the school for nearly five years.

Montez is facing charges of three counts of child abuse.

Authorities said the abuse involved multiple children and they don't believe the abuse was sexual in nature. They asked that anyone with information on the investigation, or who has young children who were abused, contact Detective Jessica Pierce or Detective Sergeant Sam Silva at 970-879-1144.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood said they believe the director of the facility was aware of this abuse and then failed to report it.