A former daycare teacher at a Belmont church appeared before a judge Tuesday on seven counts of indecent liberties with a minor and five counts of indecent exposure, in a case investigators say touches multiple children who passed through the same facility. O'Shay Leeper, who worked as a teacher at the Child Development Center run by First United Methodist Church of Belmont, was first arrested back in May, and prosecutors say the investigation is still not finished.
Leeper faces seven counts of indecent liberties with a minor and five counts of indecent exposure, according to WSOC-TV. The station reports that police first arrested him in May, months before Tuesday's court appearance, and that he no longer works at the Child Development Center. Mecklenburg County Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Hamlin said, “This is a case that involves multiple children at a daycare,” underscoring the scope of what investigators believe they've uncovered.
Search Warrant Turns Up Graphic Images
Investigators found graphic images on Leeper's phone after executing a search warrant at his home, according to the same report, and analysts went on to review his other electronic devices as well. One of the newest charges stems directly from that digital search: investigators say they found a photograph of an unknown child on the phone, and prosecutors indicated the added charge is based on that image. As the outlet notes, “this is based on a photograph that was seen on his phone,” though who that child is has not been established.
According to court documents cited in the station's report, the investigation into Leeper remains ongoing, and prosecutors say additional charges could be possible if more alleged victims come forward. Hamlin also said that even if the case eventually reaches a point where the state offers a plea deal, prosecutors would not be boxed in by it. She said a plea would not prevent prosecutors from pursuing other charges if additional children came forward.
Church Says It Alerted Authorities
First United Methodist Church of Belmont said it reported a concern to law enforcement authorities, according to the station's coverage, and the church emphasized its commitment to child safety in a statement. “The safety and well-being of every child in our care remains our highest priority,” the church said. The report does not specify when Leeper stopped working at the center or detail the church's internal timeline beyond that statement.
State Law Requires Regular Background Checks
North Carolina law requires criminal-history checks for child-care providers both before hiring and every five years afterward, covering county, state and federal records, according to North Carolina General Statutes. The statute defines a child-care provider broadly to include anyone employed by a child-care facility in a temporary or permanent capacity, and it bars anyone convicted of child neglect or abuse, adjudicated a responsible individual, or convicted of a reportable offense from serving in that role.
Belmont's case is not an isolated headline in the state this year. In August, four North Carolina daycare employees faced charges after deputies opened an abuse investigation at a separate facility, according to WYFF4. And in March, daycare workers in Leland came under investigation after a parent said her son's teacher told her two colleagues had been suspended following an alleged assault on a 3-year-old, according to WECT. The August and March cases involved allegations at other North Carolina daycare facilities, with child-care facilities across the state facing scrutiny this year.
For now, the Belmont case remains open, and prosecutors have not said how many more children, if any, might come forward. What is clear is that the charges against Leeper include seven counts of indecent liberties with a minor and five counts of indecent exposure, along with other charges, that his time at the Child Development Center has ended, and that prosecutors say the investigation remains ongoing.
