Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Robert Fernicola, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
The Middlesex County Prosecutor, Bruce Kaplan, announced that the death of a 17-month-old toddler that occurred earlier this year at a Perth Amboy Day Care Center was an accident. The medical examiner concluded the cause of death to be asphyxia, in combination with two respiratory ailments, bronchopneumonia and bronchitis.
The incident occurred at a Perth Amboy, New Jersey day care center after the child became trapped between the mattress and plastic mesh siding of his crib. Pressure coming from the siding and the mattress restricted the flow of oxygenated blood to his brain. Police received a call workers at the day care facility and attempted to revive the child after arriving on the scene. The toddler was transported to Raritan Bay Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
After the toddler’s death, the owner of the day care facility, Maggie’s Little School, was fined $2,000 and ordered by the city to vacate the building after the structure was deemed unsafe. The owner was using the house she owns as the facility, a violation of Perth Amboy, New Jersey’s use-variance law because she did not live in the building. The owner was fined and given a summons because she did not have the correct certificate of occupancy for the structure. Also, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Division of Children and Families said the state had no records that the day care was licensed or registered.
In New Jersey, registration is voluntary for those caring for five or fewer children. Licensing is required for those facilities that provide care to six or more children. If you would like to read more on this story please see Death of 17-month-old toddler in New Jersey dare care declared an accident.
Most states provide its own independent methods to determine whether or not a day facility is properly registered or licensed within the state. However, parents should conduct their own thorough research of all the prospective day care facilities they intend on providing care for their children. To read more on properly selecting a day care facility for your child please read Important Factor in Selecting a Day Care Center – Instincts of Parents.