Northern Illinois Man Charged With Sexually Abusing Five Children Related to Wife’s Daycare
An in-home daycare in a residential area near Winnebago is at the center of sex-abuse allegations, and the husband of the daycare owner has been identified as the alleged abuser. According to a report from NBC Chicago, 51-year-old David Seaton had already been charged with the sexual abuse of a three-year-old child earlier this year, and new charges against him—filed just this week—now include sex abuse and assault against four more child victims.
While little information is available at this time, it has been confirmed that the three-year-old child was enrolled in the home daycare which is operated by Seaton’s wife in a subdivision west of Rockford. The ages and enrollment statuses of the other children have not yet been revealed, but the official charges from prosecutors include one count of “predatory criminal sexual assault” and 11 counts of “aggravated criminal sex abuse” in total.
David Seaton is currently being held on bond in county jail. At this time, authorities do not suspect the daycare owner of any crimes, and her daycare will remain open under a safety plan laid out by the Department of Children and Family Services.
Daycares and Schools of All Sizes Have a Responsibility to Protect Children From Sexual Abusers
In-home and unlicensed daycares can present risks that many parents don’t want to think about, but it’s still important to understand the signs of child sexual abuse and how to take action if a child is abused while under another person’s care. Parents can’t do everything alone, and daycares have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect their vulnerable wards from predators and abusers. When employers and institutions fail to protect children, families need to break the silence and take action. If you have concerns, start getting better informed today by visiting our onsite blog—and don’t hesitate to contact our law office directly at 312-332-1400 if your family needs answers now.
