Ohio Gov. DeWine Responds to Social Media Trend Targeting Somali-Owned Day Care Centers
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has spoken out against a social media trend in which online influencers visit publicly regulated day care centers, many of them Somali-owned, in an attempt to identify alleged fraud by checking whether children are present during operating hours.
Videos showing these visits have circulated widely on social media. The trend began in Minnesota and has recently spread to Columbus, Ohio. One day care center in northeast Columbus, which opened in October, was among those targeted despite not having received public funding.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, DeWine said fraud investigations are not conducted by members of the public visiting day care facilities unannounced. He emphasized that licensed centers are required to maintain strict security protocols to protect children.
“There are plans in place at day cares to keep students safe and to keep strangers out,” DeWine said. “So there shouldn’t be a shock when someone sees something on social media and says, ‘I can’t get into this place.’ Well, no one should be allowed in.”
Fraud Referrals and State Oversight
DeWine said Ohio received 124 fraud referrals related to child care programs throughout all of last year. In contrast, 26 referrals were submitted during the first five days of 2026 following the spread of the social media trend.
Each referral, the governor said, triggers an unannounced inspection by state authorities. Based on investigations tied to last year’s referrals, 12 day care centers were closed, and approximately $2 million in overpayments were identified across 61 additional centers.
ABC6 Investigates has requested records related to fraud referrals, closure orders, and overpayment notices from 2025.
Federal Funding Suspension
The Trump administration has suspended federal child care subsidies amid allegations of fraud involving Somali-owned day care centers in several states. DeWine said Ohio has provided federal officials with documentation outlining the state’s fraud detection and oversight measures, which he said go beyond federal requirements.
There has been no announcement on when federal funding may be restored.
Attendance Tracking and PIN System
Ohio’s child care funding system is based on daily attendance rather than enrollment. Parents use a personal identification number, or PIN, to check children in and out of day care centers.
State officials have raised concerns about some centers retaining parents’ PINs. In response, Ohio reprogrammed approximately 7,500 PINs last year. Kara Wente of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth said the action was taken as a precaution, noting that the state had not identified specific cases of fraud tied directly to PIN sharing.
Potential Impact
State officials said that if federal subsidies remain suspended, Ohio’s child care system could experience significant strain within eight to ten weeks. The state is awaiting further guidance from federal authorities on whether and when funding will resume. The situation remains under review.
