INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis day care is under scrutiny from state auditors, accused of misusing taxpayer money by overstating the number of children in its care.

According to an audit by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, workers at the Jesus Fellowship Kidz Ministry on the city's west side routinely kept parents' Hoosier Works cards and PINs, entering the information even when the children weren't at the facility, 6News' Kara Kenney reported.

In a letter to daycare owner Pastor Jonathan Benjamin, auditors wrote, "You stated that most of the parents swipe their cards each day as they enter the day care. However, the electronic data shows otherwise. You agreed that it did not seem plausible for parents to enter your facility after you close the daycare at 12:15 a.m."

"What we've found is that when this happens in certain facilities, the employees will keep the cards and keep the PIN numbers and enter in the numbers in themselves. This causes a problem because sometimes employees are entering in numbers of children who aren't there so they can get paid for children they're not taking care of," said FSSA spokesman Marcus Barlow.

The audit also alleges the facility misused a taxpayer-funded meal program, and that children were left unattended.

Benjamin denied deliberately claiming children that weren't there, and blamed incompetent staff, who he said have since been fired.

"I have not been claiming any child that is not here," he said. "I said, 'This is not right.'"

He also denied that children were left unattended, and said a staff member only left the room to let auditors pass by.

The facility has submitted a corrective action plan to the state, which includes reminding parents and staffers the proper usage of the cards. Benjamin said he is also re-tooling his sign-in procedures to prevent further problems.

"My concern is to make sure the kids are properly taken care of," said Benjamin, who also blamed FSSA for not providing more guidance to him as a relatively new day care provider.

Barlow said in order to be licensed, all new providers are given training and a manual of their legal requirements. He said FSSA will evaluate the corrective action plan and make sure the day care is carrying out the proposed changes.

Penalties for failing to conform to FSSA regulations could include a loss of the facility's license, being made to pay back the state and criminal prosecution.

Jesus Fellowship Kidz Ministry is one of 4,000 child care facilities receiving a chunk of $160 million in taxpayer money distributed by FSSA.

Records show the facility has received more than $100,000 in taxpayer money since 2008, but FSSA officials said it's not known how much of that may have been obtained improperly.

More Information:

Jesus Fellowship Kidz Ministry Audit

Jesus Fellowship Kidz Ministry's Corrective Action Plan