Child restrained at daycare center in FriscoFrisco Family Finds Justice with Help from The Button Law Firm After Toddler Restrained at Daycare Center

The parents of a 1-year-old girl were distraught when they discovered caregivers at their daughter’s daycare center in Frisco, Texas, mistreated and inappropriately punished the young girl. The family trusted the center to provide a safe and supportive environment for their little one. Instead, the daycare center used additional restraints to strap the toddler in her high chair as a punishment method, sometimes leaving her there for hours. Shockingly, this was not the only time their daughter was mistreated, the parents learned. The center had restrained the girl this way multiple times in January 2024, causing the child to suffer long-term trauma.

The toddler’s parents contacted our experienced daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm to hold the Frisco daycare center accountable for the harsh and abusive treatment endured by their young daughter. Our legal team fought for the toddler and her parents and secured a settlement to get them justice and move forward.

How Did This Frisco Daycare Center Violate Texas Daycare Laws?

When it comes to keeping children safe, the state of Texas has a set of daycare laws, which are called minimum standards. These laws outline all aspects of childcare, including proper punishment tactics for children, to ensure children across the state get the high-quality care that their parents desire. These laws act as guidelines to keep little ones safe and help parents have peace of mind when leaving their little ones in a caregiver’s hands.

Sadly, the Frisco daycare center in this case violated eight minimum standards when its caregivers restrained the 1-year-old girl to her high chair. It was discovered that this illegal and unsafe act, intended as a form of punishment by the caregivers, was common practice at the facility. The center even provided its caregivers with additional straps that did not come with the high chair, nor was using additional straps to restrain a child in the chair recommended by the manufacturer.

More specifically, the Frisco daycare center broke the minimum standards by:

  • Failing to report the incidents involving the restrained toddler to the Department of Family and Protective Services
  • Neglecting to complete any incident reports alerting the toddler’s parents or the state about the inappropriate punishments the toddler received
  • Not supervising its caregivers to ensure they understand and follow the minimum standards when watching little ones
  • Physically abusing the toddler by restraining her in a high chair for extended periods of time
  • Properly hiring and training competent caregivers who use good judgment and self-control
  • Restraining the toddler as a form of punishment
  • Using corporal punishment methods to try to correct the toddler’s behavior.

When the Department of Family and Protective Services stepped in to conduct an independent investigation into the incident, the state agency cited the Frisco daycare center with three main violations:

  1. Straps were added to a chair against the manufacturer’s instructions;
  2. The toddler was placed in the restrictive device for an unknown period, keeping the child inactive; and
  3. The Frisco daycare center did not alert authorities or the toddler’s parents that placed the toddler at risk despite clear evidence it was a dangerous and ongoing practice at the center.

How Did The Button Law Firm Help This Family Hold The Frisco Daycare Center Accountable For Harming Their Toddler?

Scientific studies by pediatricians and psychologists find neglectful and abusive treatment of little ones can have a long-term negative impact on their well-being through adulthood. The 1-year-old girl in this case was once a sweet, gentle child. Then, the effects of being strapped into a chair caused her to develop a deep distrust of adults, including those who cared for her. The toddler became clingy to her parents and developed mood swings where she would act out and even hit her parents.

Following the negligent actions of the daycare center in Frisco, the traumatized toddler also developed fears directly related to the incidents. When the child would see a high chair, she would throw a tantrum, kicking, screaming, or outright refusing to sit in the chair. The child’s trauma also made it difficult for her to sleep through the night. She would often wake up in distress.

Our experienced daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm fought hard to hold the Frisco daycare center accountable for its use of abusive and inappropriate punishment tactics. The toddler and her family were awarded a settlement that compensated them for all damages, including her distressing experience and life disruptions. With the help of our team at The Button Law Firm, the toddler and her family were able to process the traumatizing experience and move forward in a healthy way.

Was Your Child Harmed Due to Unsafe Practices at a Daycare Center in Texas? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child was physically or emotionally harmed because caregivers did not comply with Texas daycare safety laws, contact our experienced daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. With lawyers in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our lawyers 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 us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.

Russell Button
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Dallas, Houston, and Midland Texas trial and personal injury lawyer dedicated to securing justice for clients.

DISCLAIMER: The results are specific to the facts and legal circumstances of each of the clients' cases and should not be used to form an expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances of each client's case.