A West Newton woman is accused of forging documents related to child clearances and training certificates for herself and other employees at the now-closed Bright Start Learning Care Center in Rostraver, according to court papers.

Diane J. Mesiarik, 52, was arrested Thursday on numerous charges of forgery and tampering with records. She is free on $25,000 unsecured bail.

Agents from the state attorney general’s office reported in court papers that inspectors with the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning noticed in May 2018 some discrepancies with paperwork at the childcare center. Investigators said several employee documents — including mandated reporter training certificates and child abuse clearances — appeared to have been forged or tampered with. Police said parts of the documents, such as dates, appeared to have been changed and other papers looked like photocopies of legitimate certificates that were later altered, according to court papers.

Mesiarik was owner/operator of the center at the time, according to the attorney general’s office. The center has since closed.

During a search warrant April 9 at the facility, agents found more apparently altered documents, including two health assessments for Mesiarik. When authorities asked her about documents that appeared to be missing during the April 9 search, she told them she didn’t know where the papers were “and she thought she was being ‘set up’ by someone,” agents wrote in court papers.

A message left for Mesiarik’s attorney Friday was not immediately returned. An Oct. 21 preliminary hearing is set.

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