Owners of Shippensburg daycare accused of mistreating more than a dozen children

Chambersburg Public Opinion

SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP - The owners of a Shippensburg daycare are accused of mistreating more than a dozen children by restraining them, restricting food and not allowing them to use the restroom, among other things.

The owners of Miracle Bush Learning Center, Michael and Linda Nolan, both 64, of Shippensburg, are each charged with a felony count each of false imprisonment of a minor, unlawful restraint of a minor, and endangering the welfare of children, court records show. Michael Nolan is also cited with harassment.

Both Nolans were arraigned around 9 p.m. Friday by Magisterial District Judge Annie Gomez-Shockey. Each was released on $200,000 unsecured bail.

Support local journalism: Here is special offer for new subscribers

More:Chambersburg man to go on trial for alleged abuse of toddler

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 11 in Franklin County Central Court.

Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to Miracle Bush Learning Center, 9540 Molly Pitcher Highway, at about 2:20 p.m. on Nov. 14, for an altercation between the Nolans and staff, according to a police report released Friday night.

Police said the Nolans had been mistreating about 15 children of various ages. Police alleged they restrained children to chairs and highchairs for several hours without allowing them to use the bathroom, aggressively and physically put children on nap mats, restricted food, and isolated children as punishment.

None of the children sustained serious injuries, police said.

Linda Nolan, owner of Miracle Bush Learning Center, is pictured outside of the daycare, located on U.S. 11 just south of the borough of Shippensburg, in October 2015. This photo was cropped to remove a child whom Nolan was holding, given the nature of the accusations against Nolan and her husband.

Franklin County Children and Youth and the Department of Human Services assisted in the investigation.

More:Woman left 3 young children home alone while she smoked pot with a neighbor, police said

More:Woman accused of child prostitution told girl 'that's what women are supposed to do,' cops say

Miracle Bush opened in late 2015. Public Opinion talked to Linda Nolan ahead of the opening. She said the daycare would focus on phonetic reading readiness, social and life skills, and would have a faith-based atmosphere.

Asked how she settled on the daycare's name, she said this: "The miracle plant produces a red fruit that is very small and very bitter as it starts out, but grows sweeter and sweeter as it grows, just like our children," Nolan said.

Anyone with information related to this case is asked to call state police at 717-261-5161 and reference incident number PA18-1211823.