New-and possibly more serious- charges against the former owner of a Red Bay daycare where a four-month-old infant died in March 2022.
Franklin County District Attorney Jeff Barksdale said his office on Tuesday, June 3, filed a motion to effectively negate the previous indictments against Angelene Chamblee and re-present all evidence to an upcoming grand jury, including new information that has come to light as the state tries its first jury trial against Payton Gann, another woman also indicted in the death of Autumn Rose Wells.
Franklin County District Attorney Jeff Barksdale said opening statements in the trial against former Tiny Tigers Pre-K employee Payton Gann could begin Tuesday.
Gann, along with two co-workers, the daycare owner, and Gann’s mother, Teia Gann, were indicted following the March 9, 2022, death of Wells.
The Motion to Nolle Prosequi was filed by Assistant District Attorney Joey Rushing. The motion states that in preparation for this week’s jury trial against co-defendant Payton Gann, “this office has interviewed numerous witnesses and reviewed an extensive amount of evidence in the March 9, 2022, death of Autumn Wells. … Based on this new information obtained, the State moves to nol pros this case in order to present all of the facts to an upcoming grand jury for its consideration of potential additional and/or more serious charges.”
Chamblee was indicted in June 2022 on charges of Child Care Act Violation (six counts) and Forgery 2nd Degree (two counts). No information is available as to what potential new charges could be levied.
Chamblee was the owner of the daycare, which was ordered closed on March 16, 2022, following an inspection by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (ADHR). Chamblee surrendered the daycare’s license after ADHR officials cited numerous deficiencies at the facility, including unsafe sleeping practices for young children, improper staffing of classrooms, and false statements given to ADHR officials regarding events surrounding the Wells, who was just four months old at the time of her death.
Wells was pronounced dead after she was found unresponsive by workers at the daycare.
According to the Red Bay Police Department, Chamblee and an employee took Wells to Red Bay Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The hospital contacted the Red Bay Police Department and Wells’ body was sent to the Department of Forensic Sciences in Huntsville for an autopsy.
The ADHR letter in March 2022 cited a “lack of supervision by the staff and an inappropriate sleeping environment” resulting in Wells’ death. Additionally, the letter gave insight into the charges of false reporting to Law Enforcement when it detailed the lie that was first told to ADHR about how Wells was placed to sleep. A staff member initially said Wells was placed in a swing, but later told Red Bay Police Wells was, in fact, placed on her stomach to sleep – in violation of state standards.
Payton Gann’s trial began Monday, June 9. Gann was indicted on charges of manslaughter and false reporting to law enforcement. Attorneys for the State and defendant selected a jury from more than 70 Franklin County citizens who were summoned for court this week.
Gann’s mother, Teia Gann, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, to a Class B misdemeanor charge of tampering with a witness, her daughter. Teia Gann has a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years on conditions of good behavior, no new arrests and truthful testimony in Peyton Gann’s or Chamblee’s trials.
Defendant Hannah Grace Letson pled guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of Tampering with Physical Evidence. She was indicted on the additional charge of Tampering with a Witness. That charge was dropped as part of the plea, which will see Letson serve no jail time. She will have one year in jail suspended for two years on conditions of good behavior, no new arrests and truthful testimony in Gann’s trial this week.
In March 2024, the District Attorney’s office, with Wells’ family’s approval, reached an agreement of youthful offender status on Madison McCalpin. As such she will no longer face a jury trial but could still face jail or prison time. Her case is now sealed, so information from the district attorney’s office is extremely limited, but it is believed McCalpin’s agreement required her to testify against others in the case.
