Plymouth County daycare owner wanted for allegedly physically abusing 1-4-year-olds

According to police, the Kingston Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for 51-year-old Karen Rezendes of Kingston, for various criminal offenses involving alleged assault and batteries upon young children.

This comes after a multi-week investigation conducted by KPD detectives, including a forensic interview in coordination with the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office Children’s Advocacy Center, multiple interviews of witnesses, the review of video evidence alleged to depict the assaults, and the execution of a search warrant at the residence earlier this week which provided corroborating evidence.

The investigation alleges that Rezendes has run an in-home daycare center in Kingston for several years which is known as “Oh Nana’s Daycare” and, at least in recent years, was physically abusing multiple children attending the daycare. This includes allegedly violently shoving a child to the ground, striking a child with kitchen accessories, slamming a child against a counter, locking a child in the attic, and additional abuse. The children were generally toddlers; age ranged roughly 1 to 4 years old.

The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families as well as Department of Early Education and Care have also conducted investigations. Subsequently, “Oh Nana’s Daycare” is no longer licensed.

Detectives sought and were granted an arrest warrant, issued by the court Thursday, and have been attempting to locate her. Rezendes was not home during the search warrant execution at her residence earlier this week. Evidence was gathered at the residence, and police suspect she became aware of police activity via her home security system. Since that time, it appears Rezendes has not returned home. After multiple attempts to locate her at her residence and other locations she is associated with, calling her and informing her attorney of the warrant, Rezendes has not surrendered herself and remains wanted by this department. If you know Rezendes, and know where she is, please notify Kingston PD. Do not attempt to detain her.

Police continue to work the investigation. If your child attended this daycare, you have not spoken to a detective, and you now suspect abuse, they would like to hear from you. Please contact the assigned investigator, Detective Zachary Francis, at ZFrancis@kpdmass.org or 781-585-0523 ext. 6649.

All persons, including Rezendes, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.