It should go without saying that those who run day-care centers must be particularly vigilant about their conduct to ensure that the children in their care remain safe. Unfortunately, the injury attorneys at our firm understand that this basic standard is often not met. As a result, children continue to be severely hurt-and even killed-by accidents that should have been prevented.
For example, the Journal Gazette reported last on a tragic drowning death involving a one-year old boy. According to the story, the toddler, Juan Cardenas, was at a day care center run by the Praise Fellowship Assembly of God when the accident occurred. The young child was supposed to be supervised closely by those leading the center. That supervision appears to be lacking. For reasons that are still being investigated, the child somehow wandered off without being noticed. It wasn’t until later that caregivers noticed that he was gone and tried looking for him. He was eventually found in the church’s baptismal font. The pool of water was uncovered and had about two feet of water inside. He was rushed to the hospital after he was found, but there was little that caregivers could do. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Of course, this is a devastating for the young child’s family and the entire community.
Unfortunately, as the investigation into the tragic toddler drowning has progressed, it has become clear that there were big warning signs about the care being provided at the church. In mid-November, the facility-which is inspected twice a year by state officials-was cited for several safety violations. Its employees did not have criminal background checks run on them. Open, unsafe, spoiled food was found in the cabinets. The changing tables used by staff members were dirty, and some of the high-chairs had broken safety straps. Clearly, an observer would be able to identify that this facility posed a risk to the children under the care of those