Utah mother wants answers from police in alleged child abuse at Ogden daycare

OGDEN, Utah (KUTV) — In an exclusive 2News Investigates story, a northern Utah mother says a man charged with sexually abusing a young child also abused her daughter.

Tuesday afternoon, a judge set a June preliminary hearing for 30-year-old Tanner Dobson.

Police arrested Dobson in January after they say he admitted to filming the molestation of a child while at an Ogden daycare ran by Dobson’s mother.

Tanner Dobson is charged with one case of child sex abuse and exploitation, but multiple other parents have come forward claiming their own children were molested by him.

One of the parents stood outside the Ogden Second District courthouse to tell 2News that she identified her own child in an alleged exploitative video police showed her, but she says they have not called her since.

While Tanner Dobson stood inside court, Sierra Farley was outside to talk about her police report, which alleged that in 2021 he molested her daughter at Progressive Preschool in Ogden.

“They found her and her stepsister in [the] films,” said Farley.

Farley is one of three parents that came forward to 2News in January to talk about similar police reports that had been filed accusing Dobson of sex abuse at the daycare as far back as 2017. He remained employed until his arrest at the beginning of the year.

While Tanner Dobson’s court proceedings continue in the separate case of child sex abuse and exploitation, Farley says it’s been months since police showed her the videos, and she has not heard any updates regarding charges.

Farley’s case had originally been closed in 2022 after police said there wasn't evidence to support her claims, that Dobson molested her child and stepchild while at the daycare.

That was confirmed by South Ogden Police Detective Brian Schultz, who said the cases had been re-opened after Dobson’s arrest.

“They went through, he said it was 16 hours of film that he went through,” said Farley, “but I haven't heard nothing back.”

Dobson’s arresting documents in the separate case claim he admitted to police that he filmed the molestation of a little girl.

“When this first happened to my daughter, the mom said they didn't have any film of my kids in the daycare around him at all,” Farley said.

She says police told her they only received the video evidence after the January arrest of Dobson.

“They asked me to come in and identify my daughter in the films,” she said, “I did that and I haven't heard back.”

Farley says she is anxious to know what, if any, updates are in her own case as ongoing court proceedings in the separate case continue.

“Where’s the support?” she asked of South Ogden police, “Where’s the anything? Reaching out to me, letting me know something?”

She says she hopes she will get some answers as to if there will be charges for her daughter, soon.

“It’s something that'll effect her for the rest of her life,” said Farley, “so he should get charged with it, and [police] should get justice for my daughter. I need justice for my daughter.”

Dobson has yet to be convicted on his charges or face other charges regarding the alleged abuse.

No one else at the family-run daycare establishment, in which Dobson’s mother is the owner and operator, face any charges regarding the alleged abuse.

2News reached out to Detective Brian Shultz to ask about the alleged video evidence and did not receive a response.

There is a Change.org petition calling for the daycare to be shut down by another parent of one of the alleged victims of Tanner Dobson.

2News discovered Progressive Preschool was fined $1700 and given mandatory employee training on proper child interactions as a penalty for Dobson's arrest. The Department of Health and Human Services Division of Childcare Licensing told 2News his "conduct" broke one of their rules for obtaining a daycare license.