Marysville daycare closes after COVID-19 outbreak

MARYSVILLE, Wash. - A Marysville daycare has closed its doors temporarily after an outbreak of COVID-19 cases among staff and children.

The Snohomish County Department of Health said Friday there were 10 confirmed and four probable cases stemming from an outbreak at Tender Hearts Day School. The owner told Q13 News she closed down the center on June 30th and plans to reopen on July 14th.

8-year-old Titan McGrath is one of the children who attended the daycare who’s tested positive for COVID-19. His father, Dave McGrath said his son is asympatmatic.

He said putting his child in daycare during a pandemic wasn’t ideal, but he had no other options.

“I'm a single dad, and I don't have help…there's really nothing I can do, if I want to have a job I have to put him in daycare," said McGrath. 

The father and son are quarantining together through the end of July and if McGrath ends up getting the virus, it’ll be even longer. The quarantine is affecting his job and it’s a bit cramped in their home as they just recently moved into an RV to save money.

“It wouldn't be so bad if we were still in a three bedroom duplex you know but its fine, we adapt," he said. 

McGrath said eventually when they’re able to get out of quarantine, he’s not sure what he’ll do about childcare.

"It’s already been super hard because he's special needs… there’s no help for special needs parents, there's nothing," said McGrath.

He says finding care for Titan who has special needs is already difficult and the pandemic has made it that much harder.

McGrath said he’s trying to stay positive and is grateful that for now, both father and son feel healthy.

“Even if I do get it, even if it’s really bad, it’s alright because we have each other, we have our faith, it doesn’t matter what we go through we're always going come out of it.”