A Massachusetts daycare owner known to children as “Nana Karen” is facing a series of criminal charges after police accused her of physically abusing toddlers at her Kingston home-based daycare. Investigators say the case involves multiple children, witness accounts, surveillance footage and allegations ranging from hitting children with kitchen items to locking one child inside an attic.

Karen Rezendes, 51, owner and operator of Oh Nana’s Daycare, turned herself in at Plymouth District Court on Friday, Aug. 28, after Kingston police obtained an arrest warrant. She pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $7,500 cash bail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 4, 2026.

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Kingston daycare abuse investigation expands after police review disturbing video evidence

The investigation reportedly began after authorities received a written report from the Bridgewater Police Department concerning alleged physical abuse at the daycare. Kingston police said the inquiry then expanded as investigators identified additional children and gathered more evidence.

The children involved were generally between 1 and 4 years old. Investigators conducted witness interviews, arranged a forensic interview through the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office Children’s Advocacy Center, reviewed video evidence and searched Rezendes’ home.

Kingston Police Lt. Michael Skowyra said the allegations included:

“This includes allegedly violently shoving a child to the ground, striking a child with kitchen accessories, slamming a child against a counter, locking a child in the attic, and additional abuse.”

Police said video evidence appeared to corroborate accounts given by witnesses and children.

According to court documents cited by local news outlets, some of the recordings were provided by Rezendes’ husband, Christian Rezendes. He allegedly sent videos to parents and to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and Department of Early Education and Care.

In one message accompanying footage, Christian Rezendes allegedly wrote:

“This is one [of] the many videos the state received”

Investigators said the videos showed Rezendes allegedly grabbing and pushing children, dragging one child toward a designated “time out” area and placing another child in a crib beneath a countertop. In one incident described in court records, a child’s head allegedly struck the countertop while being placed in the crib.

Some of the footage was reportedly believed to have been recorded in December 2024.

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Children allegedly describe being hit, thrown into attic and struck with a bowl

The video evidence was only part of the investigation. Police also spoke with children who had previously attended the daycare, and their accounts added another layer to the allegations.

One girl reportedly told investigators that Rezendes had hit her and thrown her into an attic. She described suffering a “big boo boo” on her head and “bad blood,” and allegedly said she had been struck in the face and on the head with a bowl.

Another child was asked, “Did Nana hit you?” and reportedly answered:

“Yes, in the face.”

A boy allegedly told investigators that Rezendes would “pow pow” him on the head and hit him in the face.

Another child reportedly described the attic as a frightening place, saying she had been thrown into a “spooky” area and suffered “two boos-boos,” describing the experience as “super bad.”

One girl also reportedly told investigators:

“I don’t go to day care anymore because the owner of it is the one who did all the bad stuff.”

She allegedly described Rezendes as:

“awful, I hate her … not really hate but I can’t be with her.”

Police also allege that injuries were sometimes presented to parents as accidents. In one incident cited in court documents, Rezendes allegedly sent parents a photograph showing an injury near a child’s left eye and said the child had hit his head on a table while picking up a toy.

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Husband’s recordings reportedly become crucial evidence in daycare case

The alleged recordings appear to have played a major role in moving the investigation forward.

According to court documents, Christian Rezendes allegedly shared videos showing the conduct with several parents and state agencies overseeing child welfare and daycare regulation. He reportedly told at least one parent that he was divorcing his wife.

Police later reviewed the recordings and said they corroborated statements made by witnesses and children.

The investigation took another step when detectives searched Rezendes’ home earlier in the week before her surrender. Police said she was not at the residence when officers executed the search warrant and believed she may have become aware of the search through the home’s security system.

Investigators subsequently made several attempts to locate her at her home and other associated locations, as well as by phone. Police initially appealed to the public for help locating her.

She ultimately surrendered at Plymouth District Court on Aug. 28.

Oh Nana’s Daycare loses license as parents are urged to contact police

The criminal investigation has been accompanied by separate inquiries from the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and the Department of Early Education and Care.

Oh Nana’s Daycare is no longer licensed, according to Kingston police.

Rezendes had reportedly informed parents on July 4 that the daycare would close “until further notice,” citing “a personal matter.” The following day, authorities received the written report from Bridgewater police that helped trigger the broader investigation.

The case now involves multiple alleged incidents and several felony and misdemeanor charges.

Official detail	Information
Defendant	Karen Rezendes, 51
Daycare	Oh Nana’s Daycare
Location	Kingston, Massachusetts
Surrender date	Aug. 28, 2026
Plea	Not guilty
Cash bail	$7,500
Next hearing	Sept. 4, 2026
Daycare status	No longer licensed

Court records cited by local reporting indicate that Rezendes faces two felony counts of assault and battery on a child causing injury, three felony counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, plus multiple misdemeanor assault and battery counts. Reports differ slightly on whether there are six or seven misdemeanor counts.

The allegations have also raised concerns among neighbours. One neighbour told CBS Boston they had been aware of concerns about Rezendes’ behaviour for years and had previously reported concerns to authorities.

Another neighbour, Kylie MacInnis, said:

“I’ve lived here for 20 years. I think it’s not shocking that she would do something like that. Obviously it’s crazy that someone would treat a child in that manner.”

MacInnis also said:

“Her behavior towards her kids when we were younger weren’t great. There were things I witnessed on my own that were in my opinion abusive and unnecessary in terms of discipline. I’m kind of glad that at least at this point she’s being brought to justice for her behavior.”

Police are now asking other parents to come forward, particularly if their children previously made allegations that seemed unlikely at the time or returned home with injuries that were explained as accidents.

Kingston police said:

“Did your child make allegations of abuse that you first thought were outlandish, or did your child come home with injuries that were alleged to have been from innocent cause but were only witnessed by the defendant?”

The department added:

“They may have been the victims of physical abuse.”

Parents with relevant information have been asked to contact Kingston Police Detective Zachary Francis at ZFrancis@kpdmass.org or 781-585-0523 ext. 6649.

What happens next in the Massachusetts daycare abuse case?

Rezendes has pleaded not guilty, and none of the allegations has been proven in court. Her Sept. 4 pretrial hearing is expected to be the next major development as investigators continue reviewing evidence and speaking with potential witnesses.

Kingston police have indicated that the investigation remains active and that additional children could potentially be involved. As authorities continue examining the recordings, witness statements and other evidence, further allegations or charges could follow.

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Disclaimer

This article is based on a thorough review of information provided from the Kingston Police Department and reporting by CBS Boston, The Boston Globe, WCVB, Boston 25 News, WHDH 7News and Boston.com, including police statements, court documents, witness accounts and reported video evidence. The allegations against Karen Rezendes remain unproven. Rezendes has pleaded not guilty, and this report does not imply guilt or represent a final judicial determination. Any statements attributed to witnesses, investigators or children are presented as reported by the cited sources and have not been independently established as facts by the author.

Sources

• CBS Boston — Detailed report citing Kingston Police statements, court documents, video evidence and statements from neighbors. CBS Boston report on Karen Rezendes
• Boston Globe — Court-record details, charges, bail, alleged conduct, investigation timeline and police appeal for additional parents to come forward. Boston Globe report on the Kingston daycare case
• WCVB — Report on Rezendes’ surrender, criminal charges and Kingston Police investigation. WCVB report
• Boston 25 News — Report on the arrest warrant, investigation and subsequent surrender. Boston 25 News report
• WHDH 7News — Report on the allegations, surrender and arraignment. WHDH 7News report
• Boston.com — Court-record details and additional information about the video evidence and investigation timeline. Boston.com report

Featured Image Credit: Kingston Police Department