Employees at the 'All Things Are Possible For Kids' day care centre in Chicago admitted they thought the little girl was just a toy, prompting them to secure the building and leave for the evening, Daily Mail reports.
It was only when Cornelius Jones arrived 15 minutes before the nursery was supposed to close to collect his daughter Journee that he realised the place was locked up and no-one was answering the door.
Speaking to Fox 32 Chicago, Cornelius said: "I was ringing the bell and no one came to the door, so I called the number and no one answered the phone, so I called again like two more times.
"I kicked the door like two times, then I heard my baby screaming in the background."
Cornelius then called the emergency services and the baby's mother Quanesha Borum.
Firefighters eventually broke into the building and freed the little girl.
Quanesha said the director of the nursery had told her that the employee in charge of Journee had put her down for a sleep.
The staff member then informed the director that all the children had gone home.
Quanesha added: "But my thing is, I come here and I sign her in and out, and so why wasn't the list checked before everybody left?"
Police arrived at the scene and are conducting an investigation into the incident, which took place on October 19.
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