Day care owner arrested in child molestation investigation

GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — A Greenfield day care owner on Wednesday was arrested during a child molestation investigation, according to court documents.

While investigators with the Greenfield Police Department were conducting an ongoing investigation of child molestation, it was reported that an incident occurred at Shining Stars Academy in Greenfield. A 6-year-old girl alleged that Jericho Johnson had touched her inappropriately while she was at Shining Stars in March 2023. Investigators had previously spoken with Kelley Basey, 59, the owner and director of Shining Stars, regarding a different incident involving Johnson. Basey told investigators there was no disciplinary action taken against Johnson, and that no red flags ever came up while she worked at Shining Stars.

Investigators spoke with the 6-year-old’s father, who stated that his wife initially received a text message from Basey requesting that she call the center. His wife called the center and Basey said the 6-year-old expressed concern that Johnson had touched her. Basey then went on to say the 6-year-old had been telling lies recently and she believed this to be one of them. Basey then asked the father and his wife to come to the center and speak with her.

The 6-year-old’s father and his wife went to Shining Stars on March 21, 2023, and sat down with Basey and the 6-year-old. Basey continued to ask the 6-year-old if she was sure about what happened, and the 6-year-old continued to say she thought it happened. The 6-year-old’s father said that when he questioned the 6-year-old about it, all she could say was “I think it happened.” Basey said she would continue to look into the incident and try to review the video from it.

A couple days later, Basey reached out and said she couldn’t see anything on the videos. The 6-year-old continued to attend Shining Stars, where she began having behavioral issues. The 6-year-old met with Basey and a teacher several times. The 6-year-old would sometimes refuse to go to the center.

In March 2024, The 6-year-old’s father saw a news story about Johnson being arrested for allegations of child molestation and contacted Basey. Basey told him that they did everything they could. The 6-year-old’s father communicated with Basey through text message and provided investigators with screenshots of the messages.

Investigators learned that the family had connections in the community with Johnson. The 6-year-old’s father believed the last time the 6-year-old had contact with Johnson was fall 2023. However, the 6-year-old’s father told investigators Johnson had texted his wife asking to watch the children. The 6-year-old’s father and his wife did not request Johnson to watch their children. Investigators reviewed text messages between Johnson and the 6-year-old’s mother, and discovered the last communication between them was in Jan. 2024. It was a message sent by Johnson with no reply.

On Feb. 23, 2024, the 6-year-old was interviewed by investigators at Zoey’s Place Child Advocacy Center in Greenfield. The 6-year-old told investigators that Johnson touched her inappropriately when she was at Shining Stars, and she was believed it was out of view of the cameras. The 6-year-old told investigators it stopped when her teacher came back from her break. The 6-year-old told investigators that the teacher made her and another girl talk to Basey about what was going on. The 6-year-old told Basey that Johnson was touching her private parts. The 6-year-old did not think Basey believed her.

On March 8, 2024, investigators received a call from Basey to schedule a meeting and discuss issues regarding Johnson. That same day, investigators met with Basey, Holli Wright, and Colleen Deweese. Wright and Deweese identified themselves as teachers at the center. Basey told investigators that she wanted to discuss what she believed to be misinformation being pushed out from the media. Basey said there was an incident that was thought to have occurred at Shining Stars, but she looked at the cameras and was unable to find anything. Basey then brought the 6-year-old’s parents in and spoke with them, along with the 6-year-old. Basey said the center’s policy is to be harder on male teachers and to watch things closely. Basey told investigators she did her due diligence.

Basey said when the 6-year-old came back from Christmas break in Jan. 2024, she began to act different. Basey originally believed it to be a food-related issue. Basey said it was a complete change of emotions. Basey told investigators that while she was talking to the 6-year-old’s mother, she learned the family had connections in the community with Johnson. Basey stated that she thought something happened to the 6-year-old.

Basey explained to investigators that she is trained to ask questions of children, and she believed that parents were asking leading questions of their children. Basey said a parent had called her and told her that he believed his daughter saw something that previously happened to the 6-year-old, but she didn’t tell investigators this because she didn’t want to break confidentiality. Basey sad the information about the incident that happened in March 2023 wasn’t brought to her attention until a couple of weeks later.

Upon request, Basey provided investigators with Johnson’s personnel file containing all the documents associated with his employment. Investigators found a copy of his high school diploma, along with other official forms. There was no documentation in Johnson’s personnel file regarding reports of child sexual abuse being made against him.

On March 26, 2024, Investigators conducted an interview of Wright at the Greenfield Police Department. Wright is one of the teachers at Shining Stars Academy, and was the primary teacher for the 6-year-old. Investigators asked Wright what she remembered from the day the 6-year-old told Basey about the abuse. Wright said she went on break, and when she came back, she could see Johnson sitting on the floor next to the 6-year-old, rubbing her back. Wright said she could tell the 6-year-old was upset. Wright said the 6-year-old told her that the male had pushed her over when she was sitting on the floor, and she didn’t like that. Basey came over and began to talk with the 6-year-old shortly after, and Wright left the conversation. Investigators asked Wright if she had any idea what was disclosed to Basey after she left. Wright said she had no idea.

On March 27, 2024, Investigators met with Victoria Johnson from the Indiana Department of Child Services to obtain records of reports that had been made to the DCS hotline from Basey or the Shining Stars Academy. Johnson informed investigators that there was no report made in 2023 from Basey involving the 6-year-old. There was no record of any other reports made in 2023 by Basey or other employees of Shining Stars.

In the state of Indiana, childcare workers workers and volunteers are required to reported suspected child abuse and neglect to either police or the Indiana Department of Child Services. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor.

Basey was arrested and charged Wednesday with failure to make a report of abuse and reckless supervision of a child. She was booked into the Hancock County Jail and released on a $400 cash bond on Thursday. A pretrial conference is set for June 6 in the Hancock Superior Court 2.