The Memphis daycare where a 6-year-old girl died last month, prompting the indictment of three employees, is actually part of a six-location daycare network that received community support grants and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The woman behind the daycare locations, Raven Marshall-Lewis, is also listed as an owner and healthcare provider for a community and behavioral health clinic in Cordova.
The Memphis Police Department (MPD) originally confirmed on August 13 that officers were called after “a six-year-old female victim had been transported to the hospital after being discovered in a vehicle,” and has since confirmed the indictments and subsequent arrests of daycare workers Amilya Hardin, Sabrina Powe, and Tametria Norry.
All three daycare workers had been arrested by Monday, and the women face accusations of aggravated child neglect, criminally negligent homicide, and destruction of and tampering with government records.
The child’s family has since publicly identified the victim as Winter Jones and revealed the 6-year-old was diagnosed with autism prior to the fatal incident.
While Kid University, where the incident occurred, ceased operating the day after Jones’ death, and Marshall-Lewis surrendered the daycare’s license on August 17, business records reportedly show that she continues to operate at least five other facilities. These include two Klassy Kids Academy locations, two Ivy League Learning Academy locations, and a daycare named Imagine Academy.
On Friday, court records were unearthed showing an infant who previously died in 2021 at one of Marshall-Lewis’ Ivy League Learning Academy locations. The infant was reportedly discovered while lying face-down on the floor.
Records of PPP loans indicate that one of these businesses, Klassy Kids Academy, received between $150,000 and $350,000 in PPP loans to maintain 88 jobs. It is unclear whether the loan was later forgiven.
Tax documents also suggest at least four of the daycare locations operated by Marshall-Lewis received grants from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the now-shuttered Kids University.
Together, the daycare locations received $28,000 from CFMT, which last year collaborated with Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to create a fund to assist families of illegal aliens arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In addition to the daycare locations, Marshall-Lewis owns Yaya’s Place in Cordova, the Memphis suburb, where she is listed as an Adult Companion. The establishment is listed as a community or behavioral health center on the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) Registry.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
