RIVERVIEW, Fla. (WFLA) — Parents said they have been betrayed by a Riverview daycare set to close in just three days. They said they only found out about it Thursday night. Now parents and staff are scrambling to find childcare and jobs.

Amazing Explorers Academy has multiple locations. Leaders speaking on behalf of the Mariposa location in Riverview said the school has been financially underperforming.

A message sent to parents just after 7 p.m. Thursday read in part, “Over the past several months the building owners explored multiple lease options. At one point there was hope that Amazing Explorers could continue operations by leasing a portion of the space.”

It went on to say, “On June 25, 2025, the building owners finalized an agreement with Victory Charter School to lease the entire space.” They said because of the negotiations, the school was “unable to communicate sooner,” and they would be officially closing Friday, July 11.

8 On Your Side asked employees how they felt learning about this.

“Betrayed,” said Grismarie Seda, an employee. “We’re all scrambling at the last minute looking for jobs, looking for childcare.”

Seda said, over the last few months, she saw people taking measurements of the building. She did a search online of the school’s website. 8 On Your Side saw a posting on a commercial real estate website saying the daycare was listed for sale or lease back in April.

“It definitely felt scamy, you guys charged us tuition,” said Chrystyne Menard, a parent of the daycare. “How did this happen when you can’t lease a building without knowing that your lease is up? So, at some point, somebody dropped the ball, somebody had to have known that we had no lease.”

Menard said childcare is expensive and can be hard to find. She feels the school could’ve given them more notice.

“They played in our faces,” Menard said. “My son had a meltdown yesterday because he was at a new daycare, all these new faces, new routine and I feel like it’s very unfair, not just to the parents but the children as well.”

Below is the full statement from the team at AEA Mariposa:

“We understand and deeply empathize with the concerns expressed by families and staff regarding the timing of the Mariposa location closure. This has been a difficult and emotional moment for everyone involved. We share in that sadness, and we are truly grateful for the trust families placed in us throughout the years.

Earlier this year, the property that houses our Mariposa location was listed for sale. While we understand that raised questions, it’s important to note that this is a common occurrence in commercial real estate and was not, at the time, a signal that the school would close. In fact, the initial intention was to sell the property while continuing to operate the school as a tenant.

However, over the course of several months, the school continued to face financial underperformance. As circumstances evolved, a new opportunity arose: the property owner received a full-building lease proposal from Victory Charter School. After careful consideration, a decision was made to move forward with that lease.

Because the lease negotiations were confidential and ongoing, we were legally and ethically unable to communicate anything to families or staff until the agreement was fully executed. That lease was finalized on July 3, 2025, and we notified all families and team members the same day—the earliest possible moment we could do so in good faith.

Until that point, operations and enrollment continued as usual because it remained uncertain whether the school would be able to remain in the space. The moment the lease was signed, all enrollment activity ceased. We continued offering full services and staffing through the final day of operations to allow families time to secure alternative care without disruption.

We’ve also heard concerns about possible reimbursements. Because the school continued to operate and provide care during this period, we fulfilled our commitment to families through the end. We recognize the inconvenience caused by the short notice and have done everything we can to support our staff and families through this transition, including offering priority placement at other Amazing Explorers locations in the Tampa area.

Lastly, to those who feel disappointed or even betrayed—we hear you. This was not the outcome anyone wanted. Like many private early education providers, we are a tuition-based business with no external funding. We genuinely hoped to continue and grow at Mariposa, and we share in your disappointment that this chapter has come to an end.

We are incredibly proud of what was accomplished at Mariposa—from a 113% average Kindergarten Readiness Score to the nurturing, supportive environment created by our team. To every child, parent, and educator: thank you for being a part of the Amazing Explorers family. We wish you continued success, joy, and discovery in all that comes next.”