Sask. town shocked after child pornography charges against man who lived in home where daycare operated

WARNING: This story contains details that may be disturbing to readers.

Residents of Marshall, Sask., say they're shocked after charges of sexual offences involving children were laid against a man in the community who lived in a home where a daycare operated. 

In July, RCMP and the Saskatchewan internet child exploitation unit searched a home in Marshall, a small community about 240 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, after being notified that child pornography videos were uploaded online.

Police found two cellphones and two laptops with images of children being sexually assaulted by a man, a Wednesday RCMP news release said.

On Tuesday, a total of 11 charges were laid against 40-year-old Joseph Sproull, including three counts of sexual assault, three counts of sexual interference and several charges related to possessing, distributing and making available child pornography.

Court documents show that the charges were laid for offences police allege happened from Aug. 26, 2020, to March 12, 2021. 

Sproull lived in a Marshall home where a daycare, Li'l Tykes Dayhome, was operated by Elizabeth Sproull, according to the Saskatchewan Corporate Registry. The home opened in June 2014. 

Police said in a press release they discovered that the home was a daycare on July 14 and notified the provincial Ministry of Education the same day. The ministry suspended the business's licence on July 16. 

Asked why there was a delay between the notification and the suspension, a spokesperson for the ministry said it "took immediate action to suspend the individual's child care licence" and "all parents were informed of the suspension." 

A heartbroken community

CBC News reached out to several community members. None wanted to speak on the record, but they said they were shocked, angry and disturbed by the news. 

Marshall Mayor Darlene Puckey said she had lived behind the Sproull house for about 20 years. While they were only acquaintances, she said the news was "shocking.… You never know what goes on behind closed doors."

"I feel for each and every resident, including the families involved, of what they must be going through."

While she said she can't speak for the families, she said the allegations are "upsetting" when "we put the trust in somebody to care for the children."

Police said in a press release that investigators are working to identify the children in the images and are meeting with parents of the children who attended the daycare.

As of Wednesday, police believed the photographs show assaults against three young children.

"This is an alarming, heartbreaking situation that affects the most vulnerable — young children," Supt. Vincent Foy, who is in charge of the Saskatchewan RCMP major crime unit, said in Wednesday's news release.

"We are doing everything in our power to [identify] all the victims affected by this terrible situation and provide everyone the support they need right now."

Foy said all required resources are being dedicated to the investigation, which is ongoing with various police units.

Puckey said the town will survive and carry on. 

"But it's very heartbreaking," she said. "It's very frustrating. I'm sure that there's more emotions going around than I know of at the moment."

Sproull is due back in court in Lloydminster on Monday.