Daycare Scandals In Ohio And Washington Spark Outrage

In the span of just a few days in January 2026, two American childcare centers—one in Toledo, Ohio and another in Lake Stevens, Washington—found themselves at the center of disturbing criminal investigations involving staff members. These incidents have reignited anxieties among parents, drawn scrutiny to daycare oversight, and left communities grappling with questions about safety and trust in early childhood care.

It was just after 2:30 a.m. on January 17 in Toledo when Zuri Sutton, a local mother, arrived at Little Miracles Childcare Center to pick up her 6-year-old daughter after a late work shift. What she found was every parent’s nightmare: the building was dark, silent, and her repeated knocks went unanswered for up to 20 minutes. “I got to knocking a little harder and that’s when my daughter unlocked the door,” Sutton told WTVG, recounting the moment with a tremor in her voice. Inside, she discovered her daughter—along with a 3-year-old and an 11-month-old—alone, with no adults in sight.

Alarmed and shaken, Sutton immediately called the police. “These are small young children. My daughter, she has asthma, she could have had an asthma attack, anything could have happened,” she said. “It’s been traumatizing because you think like your child is in good hands while you are at work, but it’s not.” Police responded swiftly, finding the children unharmed and returning them safely to their families. The employee responsible, 23-year-old Tommy Colbert, was arrested around 3:30 a.m. and charged with three counts of child endangerment after he allegedly left the children alone for about an hour to visit a friend.

According to WTOL 11, Colbert had been employed at Little Miracles since it opened two years ago. Owner Antoinette Cobbler expressed shock and confusion at the turn of events. “Why it happened, I was confused at the end of the day. All our staff members, I never expected this, not even from him,” Cobbler said. She noted that Colbert’s only prior record was a speeding ticket and emphasized that all staff were supposed to be properly vetted. “At the end of the day, everybody knows when you work for the state of Ohio, it’s regulations, it’s process and everything. You have to be qualified. You have to be certain.”

But the center’s own regulatory compliance was already under question. Just three days before the incident, Little Miracles failed a state inspection due to an outdated background check—a fact Cobbler acknowledged and promised to remedy soon. “I’m moreso disappointed because I get held to a higher standard at the end of the day,” she told WTOL 11. “But businesses make mistakes; they happen all the time.”

Colbert, who pleaded not guilty, was released on his own recognizance. The owner confirmed to WTVG that he had been terminated from his position. Sutton, whose daughter had only attended the center for three weeks, said she would not send her child back. “It’s like a betrayal, and she doesn’t wanna go back to the daycare center cause it was just terrifying for her as well.”

While the Toledo community reeled from this breach of trust, another childcare center nearly 2,000 miles away was confronting a crisis of its own—one with even graver allegations. On January 16, Lake Stevens Police in Washington were notified of a possible sexual assault involving a daycare worker at Country Dawn Preschool and Childcare, a facility that has served families for more than three decades. According to FOX 13 News, the investigation began when one employee reported another for alleged rape of a child. Police confirmed that the accused worker was arrested and booked for rape of a child, and that, at this stage, only one young victim is believed to be involved.

The owners of Country Dawn, in a letter dated January 19, assured parents that “the individual is no longer present at the center, and the matter has been reported to and is being addressed by the appropriate authorities.” They went on to emphasize that the facility is cooperating fully with licensing authorities, Child Protective Services, and law enforcement. “This is an active investigation,” the letter stated, “and we are limited in what details we can share.”

Despite the prompt response, some parents expressed outrage about how they learned of the incident, with at least one telling FOX 13 News he first heard about it on social media before receiving official communication from the daycare. The director, who declined an on-camera interview, was described as emotional and devastated, saying nothing like this had ever happened in 37 years of operation. Both the suspect and the center have reportedly cooperated with investigators, and police anticipate sharing more information soon.

These two cases, while very different in nature and severity, have struck a nerve with parents and the broader public. In Toledo, the issue was a shocking lapse in supervision; in Lake Stevens, a chilling allegation of sexual abuse. Yet both incidents underscore the same urgent concern: the vulnerability of children in settings where their safety depends on the vigilance and integrity of adults.

Childcare centers in the United States are subject to a patchwork of regulations that vary by state, but all are expected to maintain strict standards for staff vetting, training, and oversight. Background checks, regular inspections, and clear protocols are the cornerstones of public trust. When these systems fail—or when an individual disregards their duty—the consequences can be devastating, even if, as in Toledo, no physical harm ultimately occurs.

For parents, these stories hit close to home. The need for reliable childcare is a reality for millions of working families, and the expectation is simple: that children will be cared for, protected, and never put in harm’s way. When that trust is broken, it’s not just the immediate families who suffer; it’s the entire community that feels the ripple effects.

Both Little Miracles and Country Dawn now face the difficult task of rebuilding that trust. For Little Miracles, that means addressing inspection failures and reassuring parents about staff qualifications and oversight. For Country Dawn, it means cooperating fully with authorities and supporting affected families, while also confronting the fear and anger that inevitably follow such grave allegations.

As these investigations continue, parents and policymakers alike are left to grapple with tough questions: How can such incidents be prevented in the future? Are current regulations and enforcement sufficient? And most importantly, how can childcare centers ensure that every child entrusted to their care is truly safe?

In the end, these cases serve as stark reminders of the responsibilities borne by every childcare provider—and the vigilance required by communities to safeguard their youngest members.