Local

Day care owner defends 911 call about joking dad

ROSWELL, Ga. — The owner of a Roswell day care is defending her decision to call the police on a man who she said made a concerning comment about the recent school shootings in Connecticut.

Yvette Rijo said Scott Baluss came to Discovery Point Child Development on Old Alabama Road Monday afternoon and immediately began acting suspiciously.

"When I saw him at the door, I felt a little alarmed because he had the surgical mask," said Rijo.

Rijo said Baluss was interested in information about enrolling his own son in the school and began a conversation with a school employee.

"What he told my assistant was: 'Don't worry, I've got the mask on because I'm sick. I'm not gonna do a Connecticut thing,'' she told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik.

Baluss told Petchenik Wednesday his comment was made in the context of asking questions about the school's security procedures.

"I'm just a concerned father asking questions," he told Petchenik. "That's it."

Baluss said he felt police jumped to the wrong conclusions and wrongly arrested him.

"I feel like they should have done more and they should have been a little more inquisitive about the situation and about me as a person," he said.

Rijo refutes that Baluss was asking about school security.

"All he asked was about our pricing," she said. "No questions about our security measures."

Roswell Police arrested Baluss on a disorderly conduct charge. Rijo said she believes she made the right call getting police involved.

"It wasn't the right comment to make, ever," she said. "Our priority is security and anytime I feel that there's a suspicious person or something doesn't feel right, I will make that call."