Santa Barbara County preschool teacher shocked by nearby drug lab
Gina Alexander operates Harmony Preschool out of her Santa Barbara County home, and loves doing it.
“My kids are my favorite people in the whole world,” she said. “Harmony and my children mean the world to me.”
Gina was shocked Monday morning as Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies discovered a crack cocaine drug lab on the other side of the property. They arrested three men on felony charges. One of them was 52-year old Charles Romanus, who owned the property. Romanus was charged with five felonies, including illegally manufacturing narcotics, illegal firearm possession and child endangerment.
Gina rented from Charles’ family 11 years ago but she says she rarely interacted with him. A fence separates Gina’s home and the preschool from where Charles lived and where the drug lab was found.
She says Harmony should not be associated with Charles or the arrests.
“It had nothing to do with Harmony Preschool whatsoever,” she said. “There is no access [between] Charles’ drug people and my preschool. And I’m devastated.”
Gina says she has heard people yelling and running down the driveway on the other side of the property. They have made her suspicious and scared, but she says she never feared for her students’ safety.
“The people coming in and out of the driveway…. scary, scary people,” she said. “Scared for my life people. Although if they ever came down my driveway when my kids are here, I would take em out. They’re not allowed here.”
Friends and parents of former students came to the preschool to support Gina Wednesday. She has been a preschool teacher for nearly 40 years.
“She treats each child as though they are family,” former Harmony Preschool parent Cynthia Abulafia said. “We couldn’t ask for a better preschool, honestly.”
Gina says although she was suspicious, she never thought a drug lab could be so close to the school. She says Harmony is a special place and that she never wanted to move away even as suspicious people would arrive on the other side of the property.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating. People are still living on the other side of the property that have not been arrested. The Sheriff’s Office says the fumes from the drug lab were potentially harmful and flammable.
The Sheriff’s Office also says that while it takes time to build a case that could lead to potential arrests, it is important to report any suspicious activity you see to the authorities as soon as possible. The Sheriff’s Office says it received multiple calls about suspicious activity near the property, but only one anonymous tip suspecting narcotics were involved.
