Fonn-owned A Child's Journey set to close at end of week

Parents of nearly three dozen children are scrambling to find new child care providers after learning Monday the Cape Girardeau day care center their children were attending will close later this week.

“In desperate search of child care for a two-year-old ASAP and an infant for mid-July,” one mother posted Monday morning on her Facebook account. “Seeing if anyone can work a miracle out there.”

Staff members at A Child’s Journey Learning Academy, 3037 Lexington Ave., were reportedly “shocked” when they heard over the past couple of days Friday would be the day care center’s last day of operation.

The business is owned by Cape Girardeau neurosurgeon Sonjay Fonn. Two other Cape Girardeau businesses owned by Fonn — The Bar, 117 Themis St., and Chocolate Works, 411 Broadway — closed earlier this month. Another Fonn-owned business, Stevie’s Steakburger at 600 Broadway, closed in 2018.

According to a member of the day care center’s staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the decision to close the day care center was not related to the closing of the other businesses.

“Our director resigned and he (Fonn) said to let parents know we would be closing this week,” she said, adding all eight employees of at the day care facility are looking for new jobs.

“Do you have any job positions?” she asked.

A Child’s Journey Learning Academy opened in 2015. According to Southeast Missourian files, a ribbon cutting for the business was held in July of that year. The facility could accommodate up to 88 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12 years. As of this week, however, only 35 children were reportedly enrolled there.

Fonn and his fiancee, Deborah Seeger, were convicted in November 2017 by a federal jury of submitting false and fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims. Following their conviction, a federal judge in St. Louis imposed fines and damages against Fonn totaling nearly $5.5 million.

Attempts to reach Fonn or Seeger on Monday were unsuccessful. However, the Missourian was able to speak briefly by phone with Donna Thurman in Fonn’s medical practice. Thurman, who reportedly helps manage Fonn’s businesses, was asked what precipitated the day care’s closure.

“That would have to come from Deborah or Dr. Fonn, but thank you very much for your phone call. Goodbye,” she said before hanging up.

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