Dayton child care closed, license suspended amid investigation into sex abuse allegations

DAYTON — State and local investigators are looking into two accusations of possible sexual abuse at a Dayton daycare that has since had its license suspended, according to multiple public records obtained by News Center 7.

Pat’s Care Away from Home, 1402 W. Third St., remains closed Monday. A sign posted to the child care center’s door announced its temporary closure, and when reached, the business declined further comment.

The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services received a complaint on Jan. 13 involving inappropriate touching between an adult and child, said Bret Crow, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. The state suspended Pat’s Care Away from Home’s license three days later following an inspection that revealed the child care center had a serious risk violation when a “staff member did not protect infant from a serious injury,” the state inspection read.

The complaint to the state came two days after Dayton police were contacted by a social worker at Dayton Children’s Hospital about possible sexual abuse involving a 6-month-old girl at the daycare, according to police records. The social worker told police dispatchers the girl was injured.

The social worker said the possible abuse happened at the daycare, but was not able to provide any further information about possible people involved.

A separate police memo report filed Jan. 30 shows the Dayton Police Department responded to the daycare after a social worker wanted to report another possible case of sexual abuse possibly involving a 3-year-old boy.

Dayton police have not commented on either case.

According to the Jan. 30 police memo, a mother brought her son to Dayton Children’s Hospital after she “was concerned that her son had been sexually assaulted.”

The social worker told investigators the mother was concerned because her son “has been urinating himself, has a loss of appetite, and has started to touch (his mother’s) breast and vagina,” the report read.

The mother told officers that her son had been attending Pat’s Care Away from Home and she had noticed the closing notice on the door of the business on Jan. 17, but said she was not given an explanation.

The mother told police she was told by an employee on Jan. 30 that the daycare was closing “due to a teacher molesting one of the children,” the report read.

“(The mother) stated that she was told that the other child had medical evidence such as bruising to their private area,” the report said.  “(She) stated that she tried to find out more about the situation, but no one could tell her anything.”

Both police reports did not mention any arrests.