Do You Suspect Daycare Abuse in Prosper, Texas? Learn How to Take Action.

What Are Signs of Daycare Abuse That You Should Watch For?

As we shared above, daycare abuse at Prosper facilities can be physical, emotional, or sexual in nature. The top 3 red flags that your child is being harmed at a local center include:

• Behavioral changes such as disrupted sleep patterns and milestone regressions
• Fear of a specific caregiver or panic at drop-off
• Unexplained injuries such as bruises, cuts, or repeated “accidents”

Also, if your child is old enough to tell you about their experience at the daycare center, you may get a different explanation from caregivers or the center’s director in an attempt to cover up the abusive treatment. Use our tips in this article to have an age-appropriate discussion with your child about their daycare injuries and experience.

What Should You Do If You Suspect Your Child Is Being Abused at a Prosper Daycare Center?

Any time you suspect your child is being harmed at a daycare center in Prosper, take action by doing the following:

1. Have Your Child Seen by a Doctor: If your child is injured or you’re unsure, get them examined by a doctor. Nearby options include Cook Children’s Medical Center Prosper, which provides 24-hour pediatric emergency care, Children’s Health Urgent Care Prosper, or your pediatrician. An exam will help determine your child’s injuries and what caused them, and will create a record in case you want to take legal action against the daycare center in the future.
2. Contact Local Authorities: Contact the Prosper Police Department to report the suspected daycare abuse by calling 911 or 972-569-1000. Any intentional harm to your child is against the law, and a police report should be filed immediately. 
3. File a Report with the State: In addition to alerting local police, it is important to file a report with the state by calling 800-252-5400. This is especially important if your child was sexually abused or suffered severe injuries at the Prosper daycare center. This report will be anonymous and prompt an independent investigation into the incident. The state will determine if childcare laws, also known as minimum standards, were violated and crimes against your child were committed. Separate from a police investigation, the state can take action against the daycare center depending on the findings of the agency’s investigation.  
4. Document Everything: While collecting evidence may not be at the top of your mind when you are concerned about your child’s safety and well-being, document as much as you can. This includes:
   1. Creating an incident log that includes the name of the caregiver who was responsible for taking care of your child when the incident occurred, the names of caregivers who were at the center, the date of the incident, and any caregivers who witnessed the abusive treatment of your child
   2. Taking a picture of your child’s injuries after the incident at the Prosper daycare center
   3. Taking screenshots on your smartphone or printing out any communications from the center discussing your child’s injuries
   4. Recording your conversation with your child or taking detailed notes about their account of what happened to them

If the daycare center has surveillance cameras, it is important to ask to see the footage and record it with your smartphone. This way, the video is saved, even if the daycare center deletes or does not save the footage.

5. Contact Our Prosper Daycare Injury Lawyers: Even if you are not considering taking legal action right away, speaking with our experienced and compassionate team can help you learn your rights and explore options to hold the daycare center accountable. In addition, we can advise you on the best way to protect your family while you focus on your child’s healing. For example, did you know you should avoid doing these five things after your child’s daycare injury?

More Questions Prosper Parents Frequently Ask About Daycare Abuse

We understand that speaking with our legal team or contacting local authorities may feel overwhelming or seem extreme. If you are not quite ready to take these steps, explore these questions we frequently receive from Prosper parents:

Q: What If I’m Not Certain My Child Was Intentionally Abused at the Daycare Center?

A: Report the incident anyway. The state encourages reporting any suspected abuse and keeps your report anonymous. When it comes to your child being harmed, it is important to err on the side of caution. Read this article to learn more about what to expect after you report a daycare center to the state.

Q: Should I Remove My Child from the Daycare Center?

A: Yes, if you suspect your child was intentionally harmed by caregivers at the daycare center in Prosper, we recommend you find alternative care for your child. We recognize this is not always easy to do, but learn why it is important in this article.

Q: What If My Child’s Injuries Were Caused by Neglect or Another Issue and Not Abuse?

A: If an investigation conducted by the Prosper Police Department or the state finds your child’s injuries were caused by neglect and not abuse, authorities will be able to properly handle the situation to further protect your child. If the state finds that the daycare center operated negligently by not following the minimum standards, they will cite the center and record the violation in their database to inform other parents.

Did Your Child Suffer Abuse at a Daycare Center in Prosper? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child was physically, emotionally, or sexually abused at a daycare center in Prosper, Texas, contact our experienced daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. 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.