Two of four charged in Tiny Tigers daycare death appear in court

FRANKLIN CO., Ala. (WAFF) - As of now, a jury trial for two women charged in the death of a four-month-old is set for June 2025.

Although, this case has been pushed back a few times over the last three years already. Payton and Teia Gann both worked for Tiny Tigers daycare when four-month-old Autumn Wells died at the center.

Payton Gann is charged with manslaughter and false reporting. Prosecutors say she put the little girl on her stomach and left her there for an extended period, which is illegal in the state of Alabama. Investigators believe that is what led to Wells’ death.

Payton Gann’s mother, Teia Gann, is charged with tampering with a witness after investigators say she tried to get one of the other women the two worked with to lie about where the four-month-old was placed. The Gann’s defense attorney maintains that her clients are innocent. The two were in court on Wednesday for a pretrial hearing.

Court records show the Tiny Tigers Daycare was not properly staffed and its owner, Angelene Chamblee, failed to keep up with required records and reporting. Chamblee is facing six counts of Child Care Act violation and two counts of forgery.

One of the other daycare workers, Hannah Letson, is also charged with tampering with a witness and tampering with physical evidence. Her trial is also set for June as of now.

The last of the four charged, Madison McCalpin, received youthful offender status meaning the case is no longer set for a jury trial.

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