Baltimore County police are continuing to interview at least 93 children who attended a day care facility where a 57-year-old man allegedly abused minors. Police said James Weems already faces 13 charges, including three counts each of sexual abuse of a minor. Investigators examined forensic evidence and conducted interviews with some of the children at Owings Mills day care, which is owned by the suspect’s wife.
According to CBS News, the investigation opened on July 3 after a 10-year-old girl brought complaints to her parents, alleging Weems showed her pornography on a day care bus and touched her inappropriately at the facility’s playground. Police said a search of Weems’ browsing history on his phone corroborated the girl’s statement.
A 7-year-old boy who attended Owings Mills day care also spoke with the Department of Social Services and alleged that he was touched inappropriately at the day care. More allegations came out on July 23 when the parents of a 12-year-old girl said their daughter complained about “Mr. James,” alleging he touched her in a “very inappropriate way.” According to police, the girl said “Mr. James” also asked her to take explicit pictures of herself, but she said “no.”
Court documents reveal more details about the allegations, stating that Weems ordered two of the victims not to speak about what happened. Additionally, another child said Weems showed her where to find pornography.
“The victim went on to tell her family that ‘Mr. James’ showed her pornography on his cell phone while they were on the daycare bus,” court documents state.
Weems, who had been driving the day care van for two years, worked at the facility for the past four years. The 57-year-old left the police force in 2005.
As Blavity previously reported, the day care owner, Shanteari Weems, was arrested at a Washington, D.C., hotel after she allegedly shot her husband. A report states then police asked the 50-year-old to explain why she shot her husband of five years, she alleged he was “a child molester.”
