Greece, N.Y. (WHAM) — New York State Police shared new information Thursday about the investigation into Noah Hoefler, a 24-year-old former employee at Doodle Bugs day care in Greece accused of sexually abusing several young children under his supervision.
Another former staff member at the facility spoke to 13WHAM anonymously about some alleged past incidents involving Hoefler.
“I was like, ‘Hey, bud. What’s going on? What’s happening?'” the anonymous former employee said. “(A boy) told me that he wasn’t allowed to say anything. And I said: ‘Well, why not?’ He said: ‘Noah told me I’m not supposed to.'”
The former employee said the child told her they had experienced inappropriate contact with Hoefler.
That incident was then reported to state police in November 2024, sparking an investigation that involved lengthy forensic interviews with multiple victims.
“That’s a big part of the legwork with this, and that’s why this has taken us a very long time due to the age of ages of the victims,” Trooper Lynnea Crane said. “Communication is key, and for some of the victims, communication is hard at that age. So we would do forensic interviews, and those these types of investigations take a long time to have supporting evidence with them.”
State police said multiple victims shared incidents of abuse while under Hoefler’s supervision outside of the child care setting.
“He was employed there,” Crane added. “This is a place where he’s meeting his victims.”
Police said Hoefler was charged with first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child in relation to an incident in Hilton during the summer of 2024.
Hoefler turned himself in Feb. 3 after consultation between the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office and Hoefler’s attorney, according to state police. He pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, in Greece Town Court earlier this week.
Crane said investigators are trying to identify any more victims.
“We want to protect our children first and foremost,” Crane said. ” We want to make sure if there’s any other victims out there, that they come forward, either they can call us, or they can call local law enforcement if they suspect something has happened to their child.”
Doodle Bugs declined to comment for this report. Hoefler is expected to be sentenced April 7 in Greece Town Court.