Wallingford daycare owner arrested after 9 children abused

WALLINGFORD, CT (WFSB) – A Wallingford home daycare owner and her boyfriend are facing charges after 9 children were abused.

Wallingford police started investigating Brenda Fornal’s home daycare at 60 Ridgetop Road.

Police said nine children there were the victims of verbal and physical abuse.

“During the course of the investigation Detectives obtained evidence that developed probable cause,” Wallingford police said.

Local residents were shocked hearing of the alleged abuse that took place.

“It’s just terrifying for me as a mother who works full time and needs full time care that someone like this, that something like this could happen,” says Wallingford resident Courtney Willard.

Police said Fornal, 61, and Grant Freer, 66, were arrested by warrant on Tuesday.

The charges came following a complaint that was made about the daycare in late August. The complaint was reported to the Department of Children and Families, and then to the Wallingford Police Department.

Willard says she lives nearby and called Fornal’s daycare a few months ago inquiring about care for her 2-month-old son Luke.

“I talked to her on the phone. She was actually very rude over the phone. A little abrasive and then ended up hanging up on me. So I kind of stopped my hunt to inquire about her daycare once we had that encounter,” says Willard.

Fornal was charged with 9 counts of risk of injury to child, voyeurism with malice, 7 counts of assault third-degree, 2 counts of threatening second-degree, and sexual assault fourth-degree. She was placed on a $125,000 bond.

Freer was charged with conspiracy to commit risk of injury to child. His bond was set at $1,000.

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