Reports have surfaced that U.S. Capitol Police Captain Michael Byrd and his wife, Kaleska, have been operating an "unaccredited" daycare center from their Maryland home since 2008, sparking a firestorm on social media.
Byrd, of course, is the officer who fatally shot unarmed January 6 protester Ashli Babbitt without warning.
Investigative journalist Paul Sperry kicked off the controversy by noting details about "Byrd's Family Day Care," a home-based child care facility in Brandywine, Maryland.
"Records show US Capitol Police Capt. Michael Byrd, who fatally shot unarmed J6 protester Ashli Babbitt (without) warning, has been running an unaccredited day-care center (with) wife Kaleska from their ... home since 2008," Sperry wrote.
He provided a link to the daycare listing on CareLuLu and noted that Maryland receives $190 million in federal HHS child care funds.
NEW: Records show US Capitol Police Capt. Michael Byrd, who fatally shot unarmed J6 protester Ashli Babbitt w/o warning, has been running an unaccredited day-care center w/ wife Kaleska from their MD. home since 2008. MD. rec's $190m in HHS day-care funds.https://t.co/Ly2JCVx966
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) January 6, 2026
READ MORE: Ashli Babbitt Lawsuit Settled, Family to Be Paid Nearly $5 Million
It's important to note that the daycare in question is not alleged to have received millions. Sperry appears to be implying that there is a potential for a grift in the daycare business, as we have clearly seen in recent weeks in Minnesota.
Much of the research behind the Byrd daycare has been done by Susan Daniels, a private investigator, on her Substack page. There, Daniels provides a copy of a home inspection report from the Maryland Department of Education, appearing to show the Byrd daycare in operation as recently as June of 2025. It also shows it listed as "unaccredited."
Curiously, the investigator also notes that the daycare, having been run in the previous family home, was, and is still, allegedly listed as "forfeited."
"Kaleska Byrd ran a daycare center since 2008 at their previous house, but the company was forfeited when she did not renew it in 2018 or pay $25. It now appears to have a new registration number, but the state record still shows the company as forfeited," Daniels writes.
"However, an inspection was conducted for the business on June 17, 2025, during which she had four children enrolled. The document notes that she is not accredited."
Daniels also claims that there are 73 daycares within five miles of the Byrd family home, of which "only six of them are accredited."
Accreditation is voluntary in Maryland—it's not required for licensing or operation.
ChildcareCenter lists seven inspections conducted at the Byrd home between 2021 and 2023, which yielded only minor documentation and training issues, and were subsequently corrected. The final inspection listed in May of 2023 indicates they were in full compliance.
Naturally, news that the Capitol Police Officer who killed an unarmed woman and was previously punished for leaving his service weapon lying around in a bathroom, running a daycare with his wife, raised eyebrows on social media.
The Spectator's Ben Domenech, who recently welcomed his third child with wife Meghan McCain, joked that he had all the makings of a daycare facility at his home.
We have a trampoline and a playset in the back yard and I can put Bluey on the projector, can I have a million dollars? https://t.co/7juL0MW9Tl
— Benjamin Domenech (@bdomenech) January 6, 2026
Fox News anchor Kevin Corke seemed taken aback by the Byrd daycare revelations, writing simply, "Wait ... What?"
"Of COURSE the guy who killed Ashli Babbitt is running a daycare center," another follower responded. "OF COURSE he is."
Perhaps the most intriguing response to the news is a lone review posted on the aforementioned ChildcareCenter site from 2021, clearly written by someone who knew Officer Byrd's past.
"Owner's husband ... has guns in the house and has a history of leaving guns ... laying around where anyone can access them," the person wrote.
Brutal.
News of the Byrd childcare center comes as the state of Minnesota has been mired in scandals involving ghost daycares operating without children or a decent grasp of spelling, all while taking in millions in taxpayer funds. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) bowed out of his reelection campaign amid the mounting scandal.
Again, there is no link between the Byrd daycare and any illicit funding. The operation appears to be legitimate. But it's certainly curious to see the man who killed Ms. Babbitt running a daddy daycare out of his home.
Byrd was investigated and cleared by local and federal authorities and has received no disciplinary action for his actions on January 6th. He contends that he "saved countless lives" by shooting an unarmed woman that day.
Byrd reportedly was paid tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money as a "retention bonus" after the shooting, was given tens of thousands more for security at his home, and is even alleged to have demanded cash from a memorial fund meant for the families of slain officers.
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