A Halifax child care worker is facing sexual assault charges, following an alleged incident that took place at the Kids & Company daycare last month.
Halifax Regional Police say Mitchell Casavechia, 20, of Cole Harbour turned himself in at police headquarters on Sept. 7.
According to police, they received a report on Aug. 22 that a male employee at the daycare, located at 3260 Barrington St., had touched one of the children in a sexual manner earlier that day.
Police are not disclosing the age or gender of the victim in order to protect the child’s identity.
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Casavechia faces one count each of sexual assault and sexual interference, and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on Oct. 26.
He was released with several conditions, including that he not going to any daycare, playground or school. He must also not be around anybody under the age of 16 unless in the company of their parents.
Daycare responds
In an email sent to parents on Sept. 8, Kids & Company Co-founder and CEO Victoria Sopik said the child care centre was “sorry that this incident has occurred and (making) every possible effort to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in our care.”
The letter informed parents that the centre’s child abuse protocol was engaged immediately after the incident was reported to the centre’s director.
“The staff member in question was immediately removed from the workplace and has not returned to the Centre. Our Nova Scotia Area Director was informed of the situation and a call was made to Licensing and Child Welfare,” the email reads.
“We continue to fully cooperate with the RCMP and Child Welfare and will share additional information if it becomes available, and if we are permitted to do so by the authorities.”
The letter goes on to outline the daycare’s hiring process, which includes receiving a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector screening and a Child Abuse Registry screening, as well as requiring reference checks.
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According to the provincial inspections by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, deficiencies were found at least once a year at the Barrington St. locaton, including issues around licensing of staff.
In particular, a violation on May 12, 2015 noted “harsh” or “degrading responses” to children in their care.
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Complex investigation
Halifax Regional Police say they were only in a position to report this incident to the public now because sexual assault investigations are so complex.
“As part of our victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to sexualized violence, we work closely with victims, and with their families as appropriate, to ensure they’re willing to proceed with a police investigation, which includes giving a statement about the incident and providing a description of the suspect if possible,” police said in a news release.
“Police must also ensure the victim’s privacy is upheld and well-being is fully considered; sexual assault investigators have been taking these measures since the incident was first reported.”
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