COLUMBUS, Ohio — 3News Investigates has confirmed the operator of a Parma Heights in-home day care where a 2-year-old girl was allegedly raped last fall has had her license suspended by the state of Ohio.
The Ohio Department Job and Family Services tells us they froze the care license of Tonya Ball following a recommendation from the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services. Officials say the effect of the suspension is immediate and that Ball has been notified of the decision.
Ball has not been charged with a crime and is not believed to have been aware of the reported sexual assault at the house on Big Creek Parkway. However, 3News Investigates uncovered multiple issues with her record as a care provider, including at least nine violations as well as a discrepancy with the address of the facility she operates.
According to an ODJFS inspection report, Ball was cited in 2023 for failing to provide verification of the completion of first aid and CPR training, not completing child abuse training, and not providing background checks for her, her husband, her son, and a resident. In addition, WKYC also discovered the address associated with her license was actually on East Clearview Avenue in Seven Hills, rather than Parma Heights.
When initially reached for comment, a spokesperson for ODJFS told 3News Investigates, "[The operator has] submitted for a change of location to 6565 Big Creek Parkway, but that change has not yet been approved." The email went on to say, "According to child care licensing laws, a provider must operate from the location where they are currently licensed."
Parma Heights police say the toddler was raped on Sept. 28, with Ball apparently allowing the child to stay the night while the suspect had been living there in the interim. Twenty-year-old Conner Walker, of Rocky River, is believed to have assaulted the girl in the bathroom while recording videos and taking photos of the incident.
Walker is currently being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on a $500,000 bond. Authorities are also looking into the possibility of more victims.
Parents who are interested in researching a child care provider can search the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services database here. It's a tool that parents can use to find a quality and safe child care provider, as well as to look up a provider’s inspection reports and whether the provider is compliant with state regulations.