BLF Gets Justice for North Texas Family After Child Was Left Alone in Dark Room

What Happened at This Melissa, TX Daycare?

In March 2022, a child faced a traumatic incident at a Collin County daycare that would leave a lasting impact on his well-being. The caregiver, responsible for seven children, left a young boy unattended and unsupervised in a dark classroom for approximately 15 minutes after placing him in timeout.

The boy’s caregiver failed to supervise the children she cared for when she gathered the children up to exit the classroom. She left the young boy behind the door, in the spot she placed him in, alone and unattended. The caregiver then failed to perform a proper face-to-name count before exiting the room to ensure that the number of children she was leaving with matched the number of children she was supposed to have with her.

The child was left with access to an open sink, a refrigerator, shelving units, and heavy furniture that could have fallen on top of him. Had it not been for his father finding him alone in the classroom, crying in fear, the child may have been left unattended and put at risk of injury for much longer.

How the North Texas Daycare’s Negligence Impacted the Child's Well-being

The child's distressing experience at the daycare resulted in significant behavioral changes and psychological trauma, as he was found crying and frightened in the dark.

He was treated by his pediatrician for the following symptoms:

• Behavioral issues
• Sleep disturbances
• Hitting and biting
• Being scared of the dark
• Being scared of closed spaces

The pediatrician ruled that he had suffered PTSD from the incident that occurred at his daycare. The young child’s family witnessed a drastic transformation in his behavior, affecting his interactions with family members and peers.

Texas Daycare Minimum Standards Violations

This daycare egregiously violated crucial state childcare standards, including failure to supervise children at all times, improper use of timeout, placing a child alone in a dark room, neglecting proper name-to-face counts before leaving a classroom, and failure to report incidents to the Department of Family and Protective Services. These violations put the child at direct risk of serious harm, breaching the trust the family had placed in the daycare facility.

The Button Law Firm's Advocacy for Justice

Recognizing the severity of the child's ordeal, The Button Law Firm stepped in to help the family seek justice. By holding this North Texas daycare accountable for its negligence, our firm emphasized the daycare's obligation to follow strict minimum standard guidelines set by the State of Texas. Our legal team worked tirelessly to prioritize the child's rights and well-being.

The Button Law Firm recognizes the lasting effects of this incident on the child’s life and the ongoing challenges his family faces. The firm brought accountability to this Collin County daycare through legal advocacy and ensured that incidents like these were properly addressed within the childcare system.

The Button Law Firm Can Help Your Family with a Texas Daycare Injury Case

If your child was harmed or injured by caregivers who neglected to follow daycare safety laws, contact our knowledgeable daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm. With attorneys in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help you move forward.

Our attorneys at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email [email protected], or fill out our contact form for a free case evaluation.