Daycare Owners Ignored Warnings: Parents FURIOUS
A Brooklyn daycare teacher allegedly exploited his position of trust to sexually abuse four young girls over 18 months, exposing massive failures in child protection that should alarm every parent who entrusts their children to strangers.
Story Snapshot
- Devonte Brown, 30, faces felony charges for allegedly molesting four girls aged 5, 5, 6, and 9 at a Bushwick daycare and Brooklyn Bridge Park between April 2024 and August 2025
- Parents raised concerns to daycare owners during the abuse period, but their warnings were reportedly dismissed—delaying protection for vulnerable children
- NYC Health Department had already closed the center’s programs in May and July 2025, raising questions about regulatory oversight and what officials knew
- Brown threatened at least one victim into silence by warning her “favorite teacher” would be fired, demonstrating calculated manipulation of his authority
- NYPD actively seeks additional victims, suggesting the abuse may extend beyond the four known cases
Betrayal of Trust at Bushwick Daycare
Devonte Brown stood before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on February 11, 2026, facing charges that strike at every parent’s worst nightmare. The 30-year-old teacher at The Learning Factory on Evergreen Avenue allegedly sexually abused four young girls—two five-year-olds, one six-year-old, and one nine-year-old—across 18 months. The abuse occurred primarily at the licensed Bushwick childcare center, with at least one incident at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 in July 2025. Brown allegedly touched the girls’ intimate body parts over and under clothing, exploiting his role as their trusted educator. Justice Leo set bail at $150,000 cash, $300,000 insurance bond, or $500,000 partially secured bond, with the next court date scheduled for March 27, 2026.
Parents’ Warnings Ignored by Daycare Owners
At least two individuals raised concerns about Brown’s behavior to The Learning Factory’s owners during the period of alleged abuse, according to reports. Those warnings were brushed off, allowing the abuse to continue unchecked. When victims finally disclosed the assaults to their parents in late summer 2025, law enforcement moved swiftly—but the damage had been done. One mother told ABC7NY she trusted her “gut intuition” after her child revealed the abuse, urging other parents to do the same. This failure to act on parental concerns represents a breakdown in the most basic duty of childcare providers: protecting children from predators within their own walls. For families who value personal responsibility and vigilance, this negligence is unforgivable.
Regulatory Failures and Prior Closures
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene closed The Learning Factory’s infant/toddler program in May 2025 and its preschool program in July 2025—months before the abuse allegations became public. Whether these closures stemmed from related safety concerns or unrelated violations remains unclear, but the timeline raises troubling questions about what regulators knew and when. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez emphasized that the alleged conduct “shocks the conscience,” vowing aggressive prosecution through the Special Victims Bureau. DOHMH declared the allegations “will not be tolerated,” yet the closures suggest systemic issues predated the criminal case. Parents across Bushwick and beyond now face eroded trust in institutions meant to safeguard their children, a crisis that demands accountability from both private operators and government overseers.
Manipulation and the Search for More Victims
Brown allegedly weaponized his status as a “favorite teacher” to intimidate at least one victim, threatening she would cause his firing if she spoke out. This calculated manipulation underscores the power imbalance inherent in childcare settings, where young children depend on adults for guidance and safety. The NYPD Brooklyn Child Abuse Squad arrested Brown on February 10, 2026, and is now actively seeking additional victims through its Sex Crimes Hotline at 212-267-7273 and Crime Stoppers. The call for more victims suggests investigators believe the abuse may extend beyond the four known cases, potentially involving other children who have yet to come forward. Brown faces multiple felony charges, with the top counts carrying a maximum seven-year sentence—a penalty that reflects the severity of exploiting innocence but may feel insufficient to families whose lives have been shattered.
Implications for Childcare Oversight
This case exposes the vulnerability of children in institutional care and the failures of adults who should protect them. For conservative Americans who prioritize family values and parental authority, the dismissal of parents’ concerns and regulatory lapses represent government and institutional overreach meeting gross negligence. Families must now scrutinize daycare centers more rigorously, demanding transparency and accountability where blind trust once sufficed. The broader NYC childcare industry faces heightened scrutiny, with DOHMH signaling tougher enforcement that may lead to more closures and investigations. Yet enforcement after the fact offers cold comfort to the four known victims and their families, who will carry trauma long after Brown’s legal proceedings conclude. True reform requires empowering parents to act on their instincts without bureaucratic dismissal, restoring the primacy of family judgment over institutional gatekeeping.
Sources:
Brooklyn Daycare Teacher Arraigned on Indictment Charging Him with Sexually Abusing Young Girls
Bushwick Daycare Teacher Charged with Sex Abuse