Every Parent’s Nightmare
On August 7th, 2017, a hard-working Texas mother left her baby in the hands of an at-home daycare in Fort Worth. The single mother worked late nights in the food industry, and even with help from friends and family, she needed additional care for her son while she worked. After she put an ad out for a caregiver, the Fort Worth at-home daycare provider responded.
The mother interviewed the caregiver for an hour and visited the caregiver’s home out of which the daycare was operated. The caregiver reassured the mother that her son would be in good hands and that she was only caring for one other child.
Placing her child in the caregiver’s hands that August day, the mother felt confident he would be cared for.
Just hours later, though, her baby was pronounced dead, having been placed in his car seat and put in a closet in the caregiver’s home. The caregiver did not properly buckle him into his car seat. During the day, he had slipped down in his car seat causing him to suffocate, according to police. At the time of his death, the at-home daycare provider had been caring for at least 10 other children.
Are At-Home Daycares Safer?
For hard-working parents like this Texas mother, finding a daycare provider who can care for their children while they are at work is a necessity.
Texas law imposes very few regulations and standards on at-home daycare facilities, making it hard to know whether caregivers are following the law. While at-home daycares can be safe options, it’s paramount that they adhere to state regulations. In the case of the Fort Worth provider, the at-home daycare had not been properly recognized in Texas as an at-home child care facility and had exceeded the child-to-caregiver ratio.
“Use a Licensed Daycare”
If you have a child in an at-home daycare or are planning to leave your child at an at-home daycare, make sure the daycare is licensed by the State of Texas. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services keeps records of all licensed daycares and at-home child care facilities so you can check to make sure a daycare is licensed or registered before you entrust them with your child.
We provide more guidance on questions to ask a potential daycare provider here.
What to Do If You Suspect A Daycare Isn’t Adhering to Standards
If you see abuse, neglect, or other behavior you suspect does not adhere to state regulations, report it to state agencies immediately. If you’re not sure where to turn or how to make a report, reach out to us. We will assist you in making these reports. You can also check out our free guide for parents on choosing a safe daycare, which includes guidance on making an incident report.
Even when parents take all precautions and do their research, unfit daycare providers still slip through the cracks. Know it is not your fault if your child has been injured at a daycare.
Let’s Hold Them Accountable
As a community, we have to work together to stop young children from being harmed by these unqualified daycare providers. The Button Law Firm is committed to holding negligent daycare providers accountable. It’s the only way our children will be safe while in the care of another.
We feel for every parent who has experienced the nightmare of finding out their child has been injured at daycare. If your child has been injured and you suspect negligence at a Texas daycare, give us a call at 214-699-4409. You can also fill out our Contact Us form. We are here to help you through the process every step of the way.
By taking the brave step to share your story, we can hold negligent daycares responsible and ensure this never happens again to your child or another family.
