Signs of Sexual Abuse at a Daycare Center in Texas

Horrifically, some daycare centers in Texas fail families in the worst way possible: They fail to take sexual abuse of children by a caregiver or another child at the center seriously.

Knowing the warning signs of sexual abuse, from physical symptoms to emotional and behavioral changes in a child, can help parents like you act quickly. Early recognition and response can not only protect your child from further abuse, but it may also prevent other children from being harmed.

Watch this video to learn more about the top five signs that indicate a child may be experiencing sexual abuse at a daycare center. Our compassionate and experienced Texas daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm provide an in-depth look at the warning signs, ranging from subtle to severe, that can help you give your child the best care.

What Are the Behavioral Signs of Daycare Sexual Abuse in Children?

Children, especially toddlers and preschoolers, often cannot explain what happened to them. Instead, their behavior may signal distress. Common behavioral signs that a child is being sexually abused at a daycare center in Texas include:

Aggressive or Sexualized Play: Using dolls or toys in ways that seem unusual or mature for a child’s age
Fear of Certain People or Places: Your child may cry, panic, or refuse to go to daycare or be near a specific caregiver
Nightmares or Sleep Disturbances: Suddenly having trouble falling asleep, experiencing frequent night terrors, or showing fear of the dark
Regression in Behaviors and Developmental Milestones: Bed-wetting, thumb-sucking, or tantrums may reappear after a child has outgrown them
Sudden Withdrawal or Isolation: A once-outgoing child may become quiet, anxious, or unusually clingy

While these behaviors can have other causes, if they appear after a child starts daycare or become extreme, parents should pay close attention. The long-term impacts of daycare sexual abuse can cause a child’s mental health to deteriorate if not addressed quickly. According to RAINN, the nonprofit dedicated to helping survivors of sexual abuse, child survivors are four times more likely to experience PTSD as adults and three times more likely to experience a major depressive episode as adults.

What Physical Signs Could Indicate My Child Is Being Sexually Abused at a Daycare Center?

Physical signs of daycare sexual abuse in young children are not always immediately visible. However, there are some potential indicators parents should watch for:

Bleeding or Discharge in Diapers, Pullups, or Underwear
Changes in Hygiene Habits: Reluctance to bathe or obsessively cleaning themselves
Pain or Discomfort When Sitting or Walking
Unexplained Bruises, Scratches, or Redness Around the Genitals, Thighs, or Buttocks
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) or Frequent Complaints of Pain When Using the Bathroom

If you notice any of these physical changes, it is important to seek medical care for your child right away at a local children’s hospital emergency room. Make sure you tell the doctor you suspect your child has experienced sexual abuse at a daycare center so that they can follow the proper protocols for evaluating your child. This exam can also help hold the responsible caregiver and daycare center accountable in the future for the crime against your child.

How Do Children Communicate Daycare Sexual Abuse Without Words?

Approximately 90% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone known and trusted by a child, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At Texas daycare centers, this can be the child’s primary caregiver, another staff member at the center, or another child in the classroom. Therefore, not every child will speak up about abuse, especially if they are threatened, manipulated, or confused about what happened to them.

Instead, they may:

Avoid eye contact or shut down when asked about their day
Draw pictures that reflect disturbing themes
Show fear of being left alone with a certain caregiver, worker, or child in the class
Suddenly use statements like “I don’t like daycare” or “They are mean to me”

These red flags are especially important to watch for in children who are too young to have the language skills to describe their experience at the daycare center. As a parent, trust your instincts if your child’s reactions or behaviors do not feel right or normal to their personality or temperament.

What Should Parents Do If They Suspect Sexual Abuse at a Daycare Center?

If you suspect that your child has been sexually abused at a daycare center anywhere in Texas, follow these steps to get your child diagnosed and to preserve evidence:

Immediately Remove Your Child From the Daycare Center
Take Your Child to a Local Emergency Room: Trained medical staff can check your child for injuries, document the exam, and diagnose your child. They can also assist with any necessary emergency treatment plans to help your child process and cope with their traumatic experience.
Contact the Police: Sexual abuse is a crime, so it is important to get the authorities involved. In addition to taking action against the daycare center, the authorities may charge the perpetrating caregiver with a crime.
Report the Suspected or Confirmed Sexual Abuse to the State: Call the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400. Reporting the serious crime via phone will escalate the state’s investigation into the incident with a 24-hour turnaround. It is important to note that all calls and filed complaints to the state remain anonymous.
Document Everything: Request copies of your child’s medical records, take pictures of any suspicious marks on your child’s body, and make color copies of any unsettling drawings or paintings your child creates after spending time at daycare. If you speak with your child about their experience at the daycare center in an age-appropriate way, recording the conversation or taking detailed notes can also help advocate for your child later.
Contact Our Daycare Injury Lawyers: Our compassionate and experienced legal team at The Button Law Firm can help your family pursue justice and hold the daycare center accountable for failing to protect your child.

Why Is Reporting a Daycare Center So Important in Texas?

In Texas, anyone who suspects child abuse of any kind is required by law to report it. This includes parents, caregivers, teachers, and even neighbors. Reporting the abuse not only protects your child but can prevent other children from being victimized by the same caregiver or daycare center.

What Legal Options Do Texas Families Have After Daycare Sexual Abuse?

We want parents to know and understand that a child suffering sexual abuse at a daycare center is not their fault. With 34% of child sexual assault victims being younger than 12, per RAINN, we recognize that parents research and vet daycare centers and do everything they can to find a safe daycare for their child. Sadly, these incidents can happen at the highest-rated centers across the state.

Taking legal action to hold a daycare center responsible is an important step toward justice and healing. Families in Texas can file a civil daycare lawsuit against the daycare center and, separately, file criminal charges against their child’s abuser. Learn more about the differences between the two types of legal cases in this article.

Lastly, we recommend that you reach out to our team of daycare injury lawyers as soon as possible, even before the state completes its investigation into the incident. Working together from the beginning enables us to preserve evidence, such as surveillance footage at a daycare center, that can be key in holding the daycare center or predatory caregiver accountable. For instance, we had a case where a daycare center told a state investigator that they could not access video footage, but our team was able to preserve and access the footage from the daycare center’s hard drives.

Contact us for a free case evaluation by calling us at 214-699-4409 or emailing us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com. We are ready to listen and advise your family on the best path forward to justice.

More Free Resources for Parents to Help a Child Recover From Daycare Sexual Abuse in Texas

We encourage families to check out these additional resources to help navigate the path of helping your child recover from sexual abuse at a daycare center:

Was Your Child Sexually Abused at a Texas Daycare Center? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child is a survivor of daycare sexual abuse, contact our experienced Texas daycare 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 intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.

What Are the Signs My Child Has Been Sexually Abused at a Daycare Center?