PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — 3News Investigates has uncovered numerous state violations by the operator of an in-home day care in Parma Heights, where police say a 2-year-old child was raped by a man temporarily living at the home.
Conner Matthew Walker, 20, of Rocky River, was arrested Friday following an investigation involving both the FBI and area officers. According to a news release, the alleged rape of the toddler occurred at what was initially called a "licensed" in-home day care on Big Creek Parkway.
Parma Heights Police would not release many details about the alleged crime, but 3News Investigates obtained the criminal court complaint that is rife with disturbing details.
According to the court documents, the alleged incident took place on Sept. 28. The day care operator apparently allowed the victim to stay overnight on the same night Walker was staying at the residence.
Walker is accused of sexually assaulting the victim in a bathroom while recording videos and taking photos of the assault. Police are now looking into the possibility of other victims.
3News Investigates has learned that the woman who operates the in-home day care was cited for nine violations in 2023 by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) which is the state agency that oversees and licenses child care facilities in Ohio. We are currently not identifying the woman, since she has not been charged with a crime thus far.
Her citations for non-compliance include failure to provide verification of the completion of first aid and CPR training, nor did she complete child abuse training, according to the inspection report. Inspectors also cited her for not providing background checks for her, her husband, her son, and a resident.
Operating outside the law?
3News Investigates also discovered that the address associated with the day care operator's license is not the same address where the alleged crime occurred.
Parma Heights police informed reporters in a news conference on Tuesday that the home on Big Creek Parkway was a licensed in-home day care center. However, 3News Investigates could not locate any state license for that location.
Turns out, we discovered that the day care operator has a license for a child care home located on East Clearview Avenue in Seven Hills, not in Parma Heights. After our inquiries into whether she was operating the Parma Heights location legally, a spokesperson for ODJFS responded via email, "[The operator has] submitted for a change of location to 6565 Big Creek Parkway, but that change has not yet been approved."
"According to child care licensing laws, a provider must operate from the location where they are currently licensed," the email went on to say.
The ODJFS spokesperson also added that the agency has been notified by county officials that they will be submitting a request for the state to suspend the license, and that the request will receive top priority.