The Button Law Firm’s Lawsuit Gains National Attention After 4-Year-Old Is Harmed at Fort Worth Daycare

New York Post Spotlights BLF’s Latest Lawsuit Against Fort Worth Daycare Arka Montessori

The New York Post is shining a national spotlight on a lawsuit filed by The Button Law Firm after a Fort Worth daycare classroom turned into what Texas daycare injury lawyer Russell Button described as a “child fight club.”

The Harris family’s lawsuit against Arka Montessori Academy of Risinger centers on surveillance footage showing a teacher stepping into a conflict between two 4-year-olds and encouraging the fight instead of stopping it.

“This place looked like a child fight club. It felt like one,” Russell Button said. “This kid was thrown around like a human rag doll by somebody who was supposed to protect him.”

A Teacher Turned a Fight Between Children into Something Much Worse

The Harris family’s son had been moved into another classroom after his regular teacher’s shift ended. Another child hit him in the back, and the children began fighting.

When the other child’s mother, who was also an Arka Montessori teacher, entered the classroom, the footage shows her, instead of separating the children and calming the situation, becoming physically involved.

She grabbed the Harris family’s son, shook him, shoved him, and later pulled him toward her own child as he tried to get away.

Another teacher told investigators that she heard the teacher instructing her son to kick the 4-year-old and trying to make him hit him again.

The teacher then held onto the Harris son’s wrist and pulled his leg out from underneath him, sending both feet off the ground before he crashed onto the floor.

“One teacher harmed him. Another teacher watched. The daycare failed to prevent either one,” Russell Button said.

His Mother Refused to Accept an Incomplete Explanation

The Harris family was not properly informed about everything that had happened to their son when Heather Harris arrived to pick up her son.

When she saw him crying, she immediately knew something was wrong.

“I knew from his cry and the look on his face that something had happened,” Harris said. “And from that point on, I said, ‘I need to see the cameras.’”

She trusted her instinct, pushed for answers, and demanded to see the surveillance footage.

What she saw did not match a simple explanation that two children had gotten into a fight.

It showed an adult caregiver physically handling her son and escalating the situation.

The boy’s father later said he was “mortified” after seeing the footage.

Prior Warning Signs Make the Case Even More Concerning

The New York Post also highlighted that Arka Montessori had prior warning signs involving the same teacher before this incident.

Texas Health and Human Services investigated what happened and uncovered reports from employees who had seen or heard concerning behavior involving the teacher.

An administrator reported hearing her yell at children and said the issue had already been addressed multiple times.

Another employee described seeing her grab children by their upper arms, roughly sit them into chairs, and “snap” before yelling and handling them aggressively.

“This was not one bad moment. It was a chain of failures, and a 4-year-old child paid the price,” Russell Button said.

That history is also an important reminder for families researching daycare options. We encourage parents to review a daycare’s inspection and compliance history through the Texas Health and Human Services website before enrolling a child. Those records can reveal prior supervision problems, safety violations, training issues, and other concerns that may not be obvious during a daycare tour.

The 4-Year-Old Was Left with More Than Physical Injuries

The Harris family’s son was left with scratches, bruising, headaches, and pain after the incident.

But the pain wasn’t just physical. His parents watched their son become more anxious, clingy, and prone to emotional outbursts. Raised voices and loud noises can still frighten him and bring back the fear he experienced inside the classroom.

The lasting emotional impact also forced the Harris family to make difficult decisions about his care. Their son struggled so much with returning to a daycare environment that the family eventually removed him from daycare completely.

For his parents, that change has been one of the most painful consequences of what happened.

Their son was only 4 years old when an adult trusted to protect him instead became part of the confrontation that changed his life.

Our Daycare Injury Lawyers Are Helping the Harris Family Seek Accountability

The Button Law Firm filed this lawsuit to hold Arka Montessori accountable for the multiple failures that occurred before, during, and after the incident with the Harris family’s son.

The Harris family is seeking answers about why a teacher with prior warning signs was still entrusted with young children and why another caregiver failed to intervene.

At The Button Law Firm, we represent kids in daycare and child injury cases to help them get life-changing results and justice against bad daycares, schools, and companies that abuse and neglect the safety of children.

If your child was seriously injured at daycare or you have concerns about how a daycare handled an incident involving your child, call 214-699-4409, email intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out our contact form to share your story or experience with our team.