Whitby woman running home daycare charged in connection to sexual assault investigation

A 36-year-old woman who runs a daycare at a home in Whitby has been charged in connection with an ongoing sexual assault investigation.

The alleged victim, who was four-years-old at the time, attended Little Tadpoles daycare.

Crystal Benson, from Whitby, was charged on Wednesday with not providing the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing bodily harm. She was released on a promise to appear in court.

Last week, police arrested a 39-year-old man and alleged he sexually assaulted the girl between February 2018 and June 2018 at the daycare.

Christopher Benson, also from Whitby, was charged with indecent exposure, invitation to sexual touching, sexual assault, and making sexually explicit material available to those under 14-years-old. He’s been held in custody pending a bail hearing.

Police won’t confirm the relationship between the two accused but said they are related.

Const. George Tudos said Wednesday that the woman ran the daycare and the man was living at the residence when the alleged sexual assault occurred.

“I don’t believe this daycare has been running since the allegations were brought forward,” he said.

It is not yet know how long the daycare was operating, but Tudos said the Children’s Aid Society was notified after the initial arrest.