(José Niño, Headline USA) The closure of a licensed daycare in Cape Cod has sparked concerns about state oversight after a convicted child rapist from Brazil was discovered living at the facility.
A licensed home daycare in Hyannis, Cape Cod, owned by Franciele Nunes, shut its doors after authorities learned that a convicted child rapist had been residing there.
The facility shut down after media outlet 25 Investigates conducted an investigation into the presence of Andre Tiago Lucas, who is reportedly the father of Nunes’s two children.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that Lucas, a Brazilian national, fled to Massachusetts to avoid serving a nine-year prison sentence in Minas Gerais, Brazil, for the rape of a 13-year-old girl. ICE agents arrested him in Bourne last October.
Andre Tiago Lucas, wanted for the rape of a 13-year-old child in Brazil, has been arrested by @ICEgov in the Cape Cod area.
Tiago Lucas had been living at a residence providing daycare.
Sanctuary jurisdictions are putting the lives of Americans in danger. pic.twitter.com/TmIJ93hUEp
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 7, 2025
Nunes allowed her license from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) to expire in March after holding it for three years.
Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, a prominent advocate for immigration reform, expressed deep concern about the situation.
“It’s alarming that a documented Brazilian national, convicted of raping a 13-year-old, could escape justice, enter Massachusetts, and end up living in a home that also functioned as a daycare for children. That’s terrifying,” Sheriff Evangelidis told 25 Investigates.
EEC records indicate the agency inspected the home daycare five times but found no evidence of Lucas’s presence during those visits.
This has prompted questions about the effectiveness of the agency’s oversight. State Representative Steven Xiarhos, representing the 5th Barnstable District and with four decades of law enforcement experience, stressed the importance of rigorous background checks and careful observation during inspections.
“You really need to ensure every facility is as safe as possible-through thorough background checks and by being attentive during visits,” Xiarhos said.
The EEC stated they were unaware of Lucas’s connection to the daycare until four months after his arrest and noted that federal authorities had not informed them. While the EEC requires background checks for anyone 15 or older who lives in or frequently visits home daycares, these checks do not cover international criminal records, nor do they consider immigration status. As a result, even if Nunes had disclosed Lucas’s presence, his conviction in Brazil would not have been detected by the state’s current vetting process.
“Our children are innocent. When we send them to daycare, we’re essentially entrusting their safety to others,” Xiarhos stressed. The incident has sparked concerns about the adequacy of state oversight of home daycares and the limitations of background check procedures, especially regarding individuals with criminal histories from outside the U.S.
The EEC does carry out out-of-state background checks, including sex offender, criminal history, and child welfare screenings, for individuals who have lived outside Massachusetts in the past five years.
As the investigation continues, lawmakers and parents are demanding stronger protections for children in licensed care.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
