Massachusetts Daycare Shuts Down After Fugitive Child Predator Found Living Inside

I wish I could say this story caught everyone off guard. But if I’m being honest — and maybe you’ve felt this too — it almost feels like the warning signs have been blinking for a while now. A quiet home daycare in Cape Cod is now closed, and not because of paperwork or licensing issues. No, it shut down after authorities discovered a man wanted for child rape in Brazil had been living there.

The man, Andre Tiago Lucas, had already been convicted back home. The charge? Rape of a 13-year-old. That conviction happened in 2016. He was sentenced to serve over nine years. But he fled Brazil, somehow made it to Massachusetts, and until last fall, he was quietly residing in Bourne. Even worse — he was living at a daycare, of all places.

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Lucas was finally arrested by their Enforcement and Removal Operations unit in October 2024. Yet that detail alone doesn’t quite explain how this all happened… or how it could happen again.

Who Was Watching?

The daycare itself was run by Franciele Nunes, a licensed provider based in Hyannis. She’d reportedly been operating for about three years. And in that time, Massachusetts’ Department of Early Education and Care visited the site at least five times. But — and this is the strange part — during none of those inspections did they notice that a fugitive was living in the home.

That gap has left many locals stunned, including State Representative Steven George Xiarhos, a former Cape Cod police officer. “I know how background checks work. I’ve done them for decades,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This never should’ve happened. Not in my community. Not anywhere.”

It’s not just a story about one man. It’s also about the system. About the holes in screening. And — maybe — about policies that, depending on who you ask, might make some places a little too accommodating for people trying to stay hidden.

Right to Shelter or Right to Safety?

Massachusetts is unique in one regard. It’s the only state in the country with a Right to Shelter law. Originally designed to protect families during housing crises, it guarantees shelter to pregnant women and families without a roof over their heads. That might’ve made perfect sense back in 1983, when the law was written. But things look different now. According to officials, the state has spent over $3 billion since 2021 supporting a growing migrant shelter network.

State Rep. Xiarhos added, “When the law passed, no one imagined we’d be overwhelmed by people arriving from outside the country. We need better tools now. Real background checks — not just the standard CORI forms.”

Political Fallout Is Mounting

Governor Maura Healey has proposed revisiting the law. Some of her opponents, like gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy, say the daycare incident is a direct result of what they describe as a “sanctuary state” mindset. “Under Healey’s leadership, our children are at risk,” Kennealy stated. “This isn’t compassion. It’s recklessness.”

In a strongly worded promise, Kennealy added, “If I’m elected, we’re done sheltering fugitives. No more loopholes. No more blind spots. Public safety comes first.”

The case has also prompted broader questions: will Nunes face charges? Did she know Lucas was a fugitive? As of now, the Barnstable police haven’t confirmed any further action against her. Fox News reached out but received no immediate reply.

What Comes Next?

There’s something haunting about the idea that a convicted child predator could live in plain sight — in a home where children played, learned, and napped. Maybe it’s the kind of event that changes how oversight is done. Or maybe it’ll pass like so many others — another headline, quickly replaced.

But for the families in Hyannis, especially the ones who sent their kids to that home, the questions won’t go away that easily. And really, who could blame them?