Six people have now been arrested in connection with an investigation into alleged child abuse at the Child Care Center located on the SUNY Cortland campus, raising new questions about how many warning signs may have been missed before the allegations came to light.
The investigation was conducted by the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation in coordination with the SUNY Cortland Police Department, which previously arrested and charged four employees. Investigators say that New York State Police arrested Christopher Chapman, 29, of Homer, on August 31 and charged him with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a misdemeanor. Troopers said that while Chapman was employed at the daycare center, he engaged in conduct involving a child that placed the child’s physical, mental, and overall well-being at risk.
On September 8, troopers arrested Jennifer Eckert Dennison, 54, of Lisle, and charged her with failure to report child abuse, a misdemeanor under New York State Social Services Law. Investigators allege that Eckert Dennison, who worked in SUNY Cortland’s Human Resources Department, failed to report suspected child abuse occurring at the daycare center. Both Chapman and Eckert-Dennison were issued appearance tickets and are scheduled to appear in Cortland City Court on September 14.
Court documents and reports about the case provide more information about concerns surrounding Chapman before his arrest. A former daycare employee told investigators that concerns about Chapman’s behavior had been raised before his arrest and that those concerns were brought to the daycare’s leadership and SUNY Cortland Human Resources. This raises an important question: Were there warning signs that were missed, or were concerns not properly reported when they were first brought forward?
According to court documents and witness accounts reported in connection with the investigation, concerns included Chapman repeatedly wanting to “hold certain children,” strange behavior during nap time, being physically close to children while they used the bathroom, wanting to help children with toileting, and allegedly pushing children during playtime. These are serious allegations, and they are not easy to hear, especially for parents who trusted the center with their children.
The case has also led to a $10 million lawsuit against New York State. The parents of a 2-year-old who attended the center allege that their child was abused or maltreated by childcare workers and that employees failed to properly report or prevent the alleged abuse. The lawsuit says the child’s alleged mistreatment occurred between March 2025 and April 2026.
A parent of three children also spoke with investigators about allegations involving Chapman. According to the reported court records, one child told the parent about unwanted touching during nap time and changed sleeping positions to try to prevent it. The parent later scheduled therapy and pediatrician appointments for the child. These allegations add another layer to the questions surrounding what employees and administrators may have known and when they knew it. More and more information seems to be coming out, which makes this situation more complicated and much more difficult to manage.
Parents want to drop off their children at daycares with no worries, knowing they will be in safe hands. This has affected parents and families all over Cortland and surrounding areas as well. The child care center was a private, not-for-profit organization that operated independently on the SUNY Cortland campus. The organization officially voted to dissolve the corporation entirely, and the center has since permanently closed.
The Dragon Chronicle spoke with a current worker at the YMCA located on Tompkins Street, who has requested to remain anonymous, has voiced that “more children have been coming in to the daycare after the incident.” Parents are now left worried and needing alternate options for childcare.
The situation raises questions beyond the arrests themselves: What warning signs were known about before the investigation? Who was responsible for reporting those concerns? Could more have been done to protect the children? And what support is available to the families who depended on the center?
The investigation remains ongoing, leaving parents and the Cortland community waiting for answers about what really happened.