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Inset: Katelyn Strohacker (Licking County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Over the Rainbow Children Center in Pataskala, Ohio, where Katelyn Strohacker allegedly used painter’s tape to bind a 1-year-old child (Google Maps).
An Ohio daycare employee has agreed to a plea deal after facing serious allegations of child abuse, including binding a 1-year-old girl with “painter’s tape” and causing distress among other children, leading to sleep disturbances and night terrors.
Katelyn Strohacker, 23, initially entered a not guilty plea by reason of insanity to charges of child endangerment and kidnapping linked to incidents at Over the Rainbow Children’s Center in Pataskala. Recent online court records indicate she has opted to settle her case through a plea agreement.
In a motion filed on February 20, Strohacker’s legal representatives requested the cancellation of the scheduled jury trial, proposing instead a hearing for a change of plea and sentencing. “After discussions with Ms. Strohacker and the state, we have reached an agreement to resolve the case through a plea,” the motion stated.
Strohacker faces accusations of abusing at least eight children, including the 1-year-old girl she allegedly restrained with tape as a form of “cruel” discipline. The girl’s mother reported the incident to authorities in August 2025, following a notification from the daycare’s director, Jamie Schoelkopf.
Prosecutors detailed in an October 10 document that Strohacker allegedly placed tape over the child’s eyes, bound her hands and feet, and left her unattended under a blanket. Further investigation, involving extensive video review of Strohacker’s shifts from July 7 to August 7, 2025, uncovered similar actions on at least four previous occasions. One particularly troubling incident from July 17, 2025, involved taping the child’s hands behind her head while applying pressure to her shoulder and neck with her foot.
Strohacker “terrorized” the 1-year-old while she was restrained “by acting aggressively and forcefully with the child when she would move her feet,” the filing says. “This included yanking the toddler around or acting in a threatening manner,” according to prosecutors.
Strohacker allegedly targeted seven other children in the monthlong time frame that surveillance video was kept. One incident that involved a 2-year-old and was captured on video from July 11, 2025, showed Strohacker “purposely shut the victim’s finger in a cabinet door,” according to prosecutors.
“The defendant frequently shoved or yanked [the 2-year-old],” the filing adds.
An Oct. 31 bill of particulars says four of Strohacker’s victims were seen, evaluated, and treated by multidisciplinary teams at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “These children, who suffered serious physical harm as a result of the defendant’s abuse, have experienced sleep issues/night terrors, separation anxiety, and behavioral issues,” the filing alleges.
According to the mom of the 1-year-old, Strohacker “had bound and left [her daughter] in a bed for an hour” that day after wrapping her up with the painter’s tape.
“The defendant was subsequently interviewed and admitted to doing this and [to] doing this on more than one occasion,” the complaint says.
Strohacker was arrested and later released on a $50,000 surety bond. She was ordered to not have any unsupervised contact with minors.
The Over the Rainbow Children’s Center has not responded to Law&Crime’s requests for comment. It provided a statement to local CBS affiliate WBNS last year, saying safety was the “top priority,” per the outlet.
“We became aware of an incident with a former employee,” the day care said. “As a result of the incident, both the employee and supervisor have been terminated. We have been in contact with the family of the child involved and reported the incident to authorities.”
Strohacker is scheduled to appear in court to change her plea and be sentenced on April 7.