Fairfax County Man Accused Of Sexually Abusing Kids At Daycare

ANNANDALE, VA — Fairfax County Police have charged a man in relation to sexual abuse of children at a former in-home daycare.

Detectives arrested Elwood Lewis Thomas, 35, who has an Alexandria address in Fairfax County, on Wednesday. He faces five counts of rape, one count of abduction with the intent to defile and two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

Investigations began when three juveniles reported that Thomas sexually assaulted them while at an in-home daycare between 2006 and 2010. Police believe Thomas worked and lived at Happy Land Daycare in the 6400 block of Holyoke Drive in Annandale around 2010. The daycare ran from 1999 to 2012 and is no longer operating.

Thomas is a registered violent sex offender in the Virginia State Police database. He had previously served jail time in relation to inappropriate contact with children at the daycare. Detectives were notified that Thomas had sexual contact with children in June 2012, and he was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery later that year. He pleaded guilty and served a year in jail. The daycare closed shortly after the 2012 arrest of Thomas.

Police say the first victim who came forward in 2019 was unknown to detectives during the 2012 investigation. Upon reopening the case this year, police identified the two other new victims.

Victim specialists from the police department's Victim Services Division are providing resources and assistance to the victims.

Police believe there may be other victims who Thomas had inappropriate contact with. The time frame police are looking at is between 1999 and 2012. Anyone with information is asked to call Major Crimes Bureau detectives at 703-246-7800.