Former Edmonton dayhome operator accused of child sex assaults over a decade

EDMONTON – Police say dayhome operator Walter Nash first came to their attention nine years ago, with reports that a girl had been sexually assaulted at the Edmonton business he ran with his wife.

Nash’s business lost its dayhome status, but without evidence to warrant charges, police say they were unable to stop it from taking in more children.

And, in the years that followed, investigators allege at least one more girl was assaulted.

Nash, 60, made his first appearance in provincial court Tuesday on 10 sex-related offences. Investigators believe a total of four girls, between the ages of three to seven, were molested at the private babysitting service from 1998 to 2010.

Attacks on three of the girls are alleged to have taken place before police got the first report in 2002. But allegations involving a fourth child, a three year old, date back to last December.

“We can only do what we can do,” Det. Rob Paton said Tuesday. “There’s really no control on who can operate, for want of a better term, a babysitting service.”

Alberta Children and Youth Services says individual dayhomes are regulated by dayhome agencies which ensure standards of care. Each provider, usually an adult in a private home, is allowed to look after a maximum six children, including their own.

Nash’s wife has not been charged with any offences. Paton said the woman was the primary caregiver in the home but Nash was involved “to a degree” in helping with the children.

Paton said Nash and his wife “complied with a suggestion” to stop caring for kids in December when the most recent allegations surfaced.

Nash faces four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual interference and two counts of invitation to sexual touching. He is next scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Paton said there’s a possibility there may be more victims and urged them or their families to contact the Zebra Child Protection Centre.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version says Nash operated a daycare rather than a dayhome