West Haven police found around 600 marijuana plants growing in the backyard of a day care, police said.

According to police, officers responded to 159 Norfolk St., a licensed day care, on Friday after being called by state child care inspectors.

The inspectors called police when they were denied access behind a tall wooden fence in the backyard which they found suspicious, according to the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.

Police obtained a search warrant and found about 600 plants, each between 6 and 10 feet tall, growing in a garden in the backyard, police said.

City housing inspectors shut down the facility and the day-care license was suspended.

State records indicate that the day care license is registered to Rosalee Miller.

Maggie Adair, a spokeswoman for the Office of Early Childhood, confirmed that Miller is the day care operator and said that the license is on summary suspension, which Miller can request a hearing to appeal. The state suspended the license because Miller denied inspectors access to the garden when they came on Friday.

The suspension is separate from the criminal investigation, Adair said.

Police said arrests are forthcoming but did not name any suspects or detail potential charges.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.