Former Delaware daycare operator faces a judge on 17 child abuse charges

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DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) – A Delaware County woman facing 17 felony charges related to the abuse of children faced a judge Monday morning.

According to the Delaware Court of Common Pleas, Rhonda Coomes, of Randor, was indicted on 14 counts of endangering children, a third-degree felony, and three counts of kidnapping, a first-degree felony.

Coomes is accused of torturing, abusing, restraining and physically harming children in her care between January 2021 and September 2023, when she owned and operated her own daycare center in Delaware County.

Coomes was originally issued a $500,000 bond for one kidnaping charge in February and on Monday a Delaware County Court of Common Pleas judge ordered the bond to remain the same on all charges.

A pretrial date was set for May 28, with a trial date scheduled for June 14. An attorney representing Coomes said it's likely they will request a continuance.

According to court documents, in September, Coomes allegedly injured a 10-month-old girl by hitting her multiple times in the face with the palm of her hand and six times with a “hard plastic diaper wipe container.” The child suffered a black eye, court records state.

That same day, Coomes allegedly abused a 3-year-old for not eating fast enough. She is now accused of abusing six additional children.

She was arrested Jan. 26 and initially charged with one count of kidnaping. At the time, the sheriff’s office said the charge was a “placeholder” and that Coomes, who owned and operated her own in-home daycare, would likely “be charged with felonies related to her physical abuse of more than a half-dozen different kids.”

If you believe child abuse and neglect is happening, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has launched 855-OH-Child (855-642-4453), an automated telephone directory that will link callers to a child welfare of law enforcement office in their county.