'It's just shocking,' daycare manager says after magician charged with making child porn

Parents of children at a Winnipeg daycare as well as staff were shocked to learn that a magician now facing child pornography charges had earlierperformed at the facility and wasset to perform there this week, the manager says.

CBC News is not identifying the daycare orrevealing the manager's last nameto protect the confidentiality of the children.

"It's just shocking," Cheryl said."We've had him here before. Thekids really like him."

DanielKamenicky, 39, wascharged Aug. 24with making child pornography, possessing child pornography, distributing child pornography and voyeurism.Kamenickyperforms under the name Dan the Magic Man.

• Winnipeg magician facing child porn charges also an educational assistant

Kamenicky was alsoemployed as an educational assistant atWindsor School, a kindergarten to Grade 8 school in Elm Park. The principalconfirmed he has been suspended from theLouis Riel School Division.

The charges have not been proven in court.

Kamenicky was booked to performat the daycare centre Monday morning, but he never showed up, Cheryl said.

"I just had a parent here saying their child was looking forward to volunteering to be his helper," shesaid.

The manager said she hadhired Kamenicky to perform before. She said she wasshocked and"disgusted" after learning about the charges after reading aCBC online story.

Shesaid the daycare hasn't done background checks on entertainers before, but that may change.

"It's very disappointing," Cheryl said."Now it questions everybody. It puts everybody in that same questionable light."

Policies not background checks protect children: expert

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection said parents need to remain vigilant and shouldn't rely on background checks for peace of mind about their kids' safety.

Signy Arnason, director of cybertip.ca, said parents and organizations are better off setting rules and policies surrounding how adults are allowed to interact with children.

"I think what we have to be abundantly aware of is that most of the people who commit offences against children have never been caught," Arnason said.

"When we do that,we're enhancing the protection of children," she said.