The gates were locked at 86 Maple Ave. in New City on Wednesday afternoon.

Clarkstown officials say the Morah Chany day care was found to be operating without the necessary approvals or licenses, as well as other alleged zoning and code violations.

"This will not be tolerated," said Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann at a press conference Wednesday afternoon inside town hall, which is a short walk away from the property. "We will be pursuing all avenues at our disposal, civilly, criminally and administratively, against the people that ran this illegal day care."

Clarkstown says nearly 70 kids, some as young as 3 months, and 21 adults were found at 86 Maple during their inspection this week. The building is said to have a maximum occupancy of 33.

The town adds the property was to be used as a house of worship according to a certificate of occupancy issued in June 2024.

Next door, 96 Maple is approved to be a vape shop but was found to have 30 playpens in the unfinished basement where there were exposed nails and a gas can.

The properties are said to be owned by Aron Altman, 86 Maple NC LLC., and 96 Maple NC LLC.

Both properties are believed to have been used for the day care.

"They never talked about using 96. They never would've been allowed to use the basement. It's one way in and one way out. No windows, just unacceptable. You're putting people at risk," said Supervisor Hoehmann. "I don't know what these people were thinking."

Supervisor Hoehmann says the daycare is believed to have been open for less than two weeks.

He explained the town found out through anonymous tips from the community and it took 24 hours to shut down.

The town is now in State Supreme Court seeking further action.

News 12 reached out to the day care for comment but has not heard back.

News 12 also reached out to a number found for Altman but has not heard back.

But while investigators accuse the day care center of operating without the necessary licenses or approvals—as well as other zoning and code violations—attorneys for the center disagree.

In court papers filed Wednesday, they argue that a New York child care license is not required for a religious day care center if the organization running the center is a religious entity, such as a Jewish congregation, church or mosque.

But Clarkstown officials say they will continue to pursue the case in state Supreme Court.

A U-Haul business was also being ran out of the properties without the necessary permits.