CATELYNN Lowell and her husband Tyler Baltierra were shocked to find out the “disturbing” news that their daughter Nova’s old daycare had a staff member whose husband was listed as a sex offender.
The Teen Mom OG star was floored when she received the message in the new season of the MTV show.
Catelynn, 28, spoke about the issue to her husband and viewers, as she grew teary-eyed over the realization that her daughter could’ve come in harm’s way.
The reality star then expressed the need to educate her child about inappropriate touching after the word broke.
“I just heard some disturbing news about Nova’s old daycare,” the mom of three began.
The show then shared the allegation that a “registered sex offender [was] said to be working at [a] Michigan daycare by ex-employees.”
In a live video, Catelynn explained further: “Basically there’s a daycare in our area, in my area, super close to home cause Nova went there.
“The owners husband is on the sex offenders list,” the concerned parent revealed.
“I can’t believe this happened in my small town. It made me realize that I do need to talk to Nova about protecting herself.”
The daycare location in question was called Cozy Corner and was situated in Kimball, Michigan, close to Catelynn and Tyler‘s home.
According to the Port Huron Times Herald, the state investigated complaints about the center’s connection to a man listed on the sex offender registry in August of 2020.
Several residents and former employees shared their criticism over the discovery, as the owner Chris Vanbuskirk’s husband was the reported offender.
Tim Vanbuskirk was listed as a tier-three offender on the registry, for attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct misdemeanor in 1994, and according to Fox 2 Detroit, the victim was a minor.
The daycare denied that Tim had ever worked at or been around children at the center, as Chris believed the claim to be a local resident’s ploy to gain notoriety for running for political office.
“This is a perfect example of social media and the internet being used for improper purposes and to promote his own political aspirations and is categorically untrue,” the daycare provider stated.
Another resident who worked at the care center nearly 20 years ago, Bridget Huff, shared her alleged experience as well, as she also used the services for her own daughter.
The mother claimed to the local publication that Tim was “there just like an employee” and after learning of his offender status she quit immediately.
“One of the employees in a different room who was pretty much the lead staffer, came to me with a printed out piece of paper that was his sex offender registry.
“I was so horrified I called my husband at the time that I was going to quit and not go back for one more single day.”
“I wanted to get as far from it as I could,” she confessed, and later contacted the police over the issue.
“He was in there on a regular basis,” she claimed.
“He would relieve us when it was time for our breaks or our lunch. He was alone with my infant daughter several times.
“When he would come in he would immediately take a child out of my arms. He never came in and just sat down. He was always touching someone,” she alleged, according to the publication.
Chris issued a formal denial of the allegations a couple weeks later, claiming that she has only provided a “safe environment” for children and their families.
She said: “Yes, I am married to a man on the PSOR [Public Sex Offender Registry], but that has in no way effected [sic] the care or safety of the children that attend the childcare center.
“My husband nor any other PSOR person has ever been permitted to come to the center while the children are present under any circumstances. Mr. VanBuskirk was put on the registry in 1994.
“The center became licensed in 1999 with full discloser of my husband to Licensing through the state of Michigan. Many staff and parents can attest to the fact that they have never seen him at the center.”
The Bureau of Community and Health Systems is reportedly investigating the case further, in cohesion with Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services and Child Protective Services.
The Sun reached out to Cozy Corner Child Care Center for comment, but they have yet to provide one.
