Day care owner faces 43 more sex charges

3/16/2007

ADRIAN - An Adrian man accused of molesting a child at the day-care center he operated from his home has been charged with an additional 43 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, police said yesterday.

Douglas Jay Clark, 52, was being held in the Lenawee County jail in lieu of $5,043,000 bond for all 44 counts.

Mr. Clark was arrested Saturday on a single charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and arraigned Monday in Lenawee County District Court.

A parent of a potential victim contacted police March 9 and officers obtained a search warrant for Guardian Family Daycare, 1013 Erie St. Among items seized during the search were videos, photos, and a computer, Detective Sgt. Lynn Courington said.

After reviewing video, police obtained warrants yesterday for the 43 additional counts.

The victims range in age from infant to 13 years and the incidents occurred from April, 2005, through the date of the search, Sergeant Courington said.

Police are attempting to identify how many children have attended the day-care center since it was licensed in 2002 and talk to their families. The state Department of Human Services suspended Mr. Clark's child day-care license on Tuesday.