Male caregivers > What happens when you let unrelated men look after your children! Stories from London and L.A.

 

For 10 years now, I have been begging parents not to allow men to be babysitters or caregivers to children. This is what happens all too often when you ignore my pleas.

London nursery worker convicted of child sexual abuse faces 15 more charges

Vincent Chan, who already pleaded guilty to 26 offences, accused of possessing indecent images of children

A nursery worker who was convicted of dozens of sexual attacks on children left in his care has been charged with a further 15 offences.

Vincent Chan, 45, previously pleaded guilty to 26 offences between 2022 and 2024, including sexually assaulting four girls aged between two and four at the north London nursery where he worked, and offences relating to more than 25,000 indecent images of children.

His crimes took place at a now closed nursery in West Hampstead, run by Bright Horizons. He has now been charged with a further 15 offences that pre-date those for which he was convicted, relating to possession of indecent images of children and acts of outraging public decency.

The new charges relate to incidents which did not take place in the same location as his previous crimes. They include nine counts of taking an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child, including the most severe category, and six counts of acts of outraging public decency. The charges relate to nine girls.

Chan, from Finchley, is in custody awaiting sentencing for his earlier convictions. These included five sexual assaults by penetration of a child aged between two and four years, four sexual assaults, 11 counts of taking indecent photos, and six of making indecent images of children.

The police investigation is ongoing.

Los Angeles Babysitter Accused of Sexually Abusing Child in His Care May Have Abused More Kids

A Los Angeles area babysitter who also markets himself as a children’s snowboard instructor is accused of sexually abusing a child he was babysitting, according to authorities.

There may be additional victims of Vincent Everette Smith, Jr., the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release on Friday, January 9.

Smith, 28, is charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, California Superior Court records show.

“Babysitting, unfortunately, represents an ideal opportunity for child predators,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “I urge anyone with any information about the defendant or other suspected child abusers to come forward.”

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The charges against Smith stem from when the district attorney’s office said he was sexually abusing a child he had been caring for between April 2021 and February 2022.

Smith, according to the office, “befriended” the child before the sexual abuse, which allegedly involved restraining the child.

Smith “had substantial sexual conduct with the victim; and the crimes involve tying or binding,” the district attorney’s office said.

When the abuse occurred, the Torrance Police Department said in a January 8 news release that “Smith was employed as a hired babysitter in the Los Angeles area.”

He was arrested on December 9, police said.

Smith, according to authorities, has advertised babysitting and snowboard instruction services online in Los Angeles County.

His advertisements have appeared on “online marketplaces which assist in connecting families with caregivers,” police said.

Authorities did not specify which online platforms Smith was said to have used.

According to police, Smith is also known to run a “snowboard club” for children.

“He is believed to have worked in various locations across the United States,” police said.

Outside of California, Smith has a pending criminal case in Colorado, according to police.

Before his December 9 arrest in Los Angeles County, he was charged with felony sexual

 assault on a child while in a position of trust in Colorado Springs, police said.

He posted bond in that case, and was not supposed to leave Colorado or “be around children under the age of 18 following his release,” according to police.

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Smith has been detained in Los Angeles County since he made his initial court appearance on December 11, according to the district attorney’s office. He is being held without bail.

Smith was due in court for an arraignment on Monday, January 12, records show.

If Smith is convicted of the charges against him, he would face 50 years to life in prison and would have to register as a sex offender, according to the district attorney’s office.

The Torrance Police Department, which is continuing to investigate Smith, is seeking potential victims and witnesses.

The department encourages anyone with information on Smith to contact Torrance police Detective Lowery at 310-618-5570.

Anonymous tips can also be called in to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800- 222-8477 or reported online.