Articles Posted in Day Care Centers and Child Care

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By David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

handcuffs.jpgA former Littleton, Colorado, day care center employee was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault upon a child. It was reported that 32-year-old Paul James Kerr was a lead teacher at KinderCare Daycare Center and had been employed at the center since July 2010. Littleton Police initiated their investigation after a child told a parent of an incident that allegedly occurred on March 21, 2011 at the center. The parent subsequently notified police. According to a Littleton Police release, investigators discovered there were several victims. KinderCare provides care for children between the ages of 2-months and 13-years-old. Kerr was immediately fired when the investigation was initiated and all families were notified his termination and the ongoing investigation. Before working for KinderCare, Kerr was employed as an elementary substitute teacher in both Jefferson County and Denver Public Schools. He also worked as a summer church camp counselor in Missouri in 2005. Kerr is currently held on a $50,000 bond for sexual assault on a child and sexual assault by someone in a position of trust, both felony charges. For more read Former Littleton, Colorado, daycare employee arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a child.

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By John Jensen, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

Education%20Day%20Care%20Building%20Block%20G.jpgIn Kannapolis, North Carolina, it was reported that a day care worker was caught on video surveillance tape at the day care center mistreating children under her care. Police have charged the woman (Whitney Belk) with five counts of criminal assault for her actions. The day care center, Kids Korner Child Development Center, had video surveillance in place. The administrator (Danielle Mauldin) of the North Carolina child care center viewed videotape and then terminated Ms. Belk as an employee. The use of video surveillance can be used as evidence in criminal case. More day care centers should consider installing and utilizing videotape surveillance as a safety precaution and measure for children. Videotape surveillance can answer questions and settle disputes when there is a question as to how a child was injured or how a child was handled or treated by a teacher, assistant, and / or other staff member at the day care center. Unfortunately, staff members and employees at day care centers in North Carolina and other States continue to abuse and neglect children at a location that should be a safe haven for children. See North Carolina Care Worker Accused of Assaulting Children.

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By Ryan E. Alekman, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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Around 50 children escaped serious personal injuries after a car crashed into the playground of a Medfield, Massachusetts daycare center at the intersection of North and Frairy Streets. Luckily, it was raining the day of the crash so no children were outside playing on the playground of the Beginning Years Child Development Center. Eyewitnesses of the crash said the driver of the vehicle, a Jaguar, that crashed into the playground, appeared to be in her eighties. The driver’s daughter, Kathy Walsh, was also a passenger inside the vehicle at the time of the accident. Police stated that Walsh’s 86-year-old mother had just dropped a letter off at a drive-up mailbox outside the post office when the car careened across the parking lot, over the curb, across the driveway of the daycare center and into the playground sandbox. Both Walsh and her mother sustained minor personal injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for observation. None of the children attending the daycare center were injured. The owner of the building of the child care facility said he planned to put a permanent barrier between the driveway and playground to provide for the safety of the children in case there is an accident in the future near or into the playground area. For more read About 50 children escape serious personal injury after car crashes into playground sandbox in Manfield, Massachusetts.

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By David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

State%20Map%20Wyoming.jpgSara Beth Whited, a former day care center owner in Casper, Wyoming, pled guilty to child endangerment. The charge was pressed against Whited after an infant, 3-month-old Tyler Parker, died in the Wyoming day care center in October 2010. Autopsy reports revealed that Tyler died as a result of suffocation, he was swaddled in a blanket and placed on soft-foam mattress. When Tyler’s mother, Nichole Parker, found her son he was cold and unresponsive. After being discovered, Tyler was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Whited was ordered to serve a year of unsupervised probation and was also given a one-year suspended jail sentence. A local newspaper reported that Whited would no longer be unable to operate her daycare center because her guilty plea barred her from obtaining future licensing. For more read Former Casper, Wyoming, daycare operator pleads guilty to child endangerment.

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By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

US%20State%20Flag%20Texas.jpgJessica Tata, the former owner of a residential day care center in Houston, Texas, turned herself in to officials after she fled to Nigeria for her involvement in the death of 4 children while under her care. Tata’s residential day care caught fire sometime last month, killing 4 children under her care. Tata allegedly fled to Nigeria two days after the fire broke out. Charges were pressed against her the day after she fled from Texas. Tata was on the run for 20 days, during that time she was placed on the U.S. Marshal’s 15 most wanted fugitive list. She traveled with Nigerian officials to Lagos, where U.S. authorities met her. It is believed that Tata’s family played a role in her surrender. Tata faces four counts of manslaughter as well as multiple charges of injury to a child and 3 counts of abandoning a child. For more information on Tata’s surrender read Former Houston, Texas, day care operator, Jessica Tata, surrenders after fleeing to Nigeria.

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By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

US%20State%20Flag%20California.jpgA Southern California couple is being tried for sexually abusing children at their residential day care center in San Diego. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that 59-year-old Mark Kaczmarczyk was convicted by a jury of felony child abuse and lewd conduct on a child. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors argued that, in 2007, Kaczmarczyk sexually molested a 2-year-old girl at his home-operated day care center in Mission Valley. Kaczmarczyk’s 45-year-old wife, Anita, was also convicted of child abuse involving the same 2-year-old female victim and another 2-year-old boy.

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By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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Police of Boyle Heights, California have arrested a 15-year-old boy who was captured on a surveillance video walking around naked at a preschool. Officers arrested the teenager after receiving a tip from a Boyle Heights resident who saw the video on television and was able to positively identify the suspect. The incident occurred at the Centro De Allegria Pre-school. The surveillance video shows the teenager wearing only socks and shoes and sexually arousing himself while walking around in circles for several minutes in the entry way of the facility. Before the suspect engaged in what a press release called “strange behavior of a sexual nature,” the boy entered the facility and ransacked the offices, taking items such as money and keys. After stealing the items, the suspect undressed and began to sexually arouse himself. The school reported a similar burglary incident in November 2010 with the same suspect. Because the perpetrator is a juvenile, his identify is not being released by police. However, he is currently booked for burglary and is being held without bail. For more read 15-year-old arrested after walking naked through a Boyle Heights, California preschool facility.

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By David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

flag%2C%20Isreal.jpgA two-year-old child was hospitalized in critical condition after the child was hit and run over by a car outside a child care center in south Tel Aviv. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. after one of the center’s three children wandered outside and into the day care center’s parking lot. The husband of the day care’s owner drove up to the center to pick up the couple’s nine children and take them to school when he heard a loud blow and then screams by his wife and other bystanders. The husband stop and exited his vehicle to find the toddler lying motionless under the wheels of his automobile. The toddler, who sustained a head injury, was immediately taken inside the child care facility , where he remained until paramedics arrived and attempted to stabilize him. The 2-year-old was transported to Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center in critical condition. Police questioned the center’s operator on the suspicion of negligence and find out how the child could have left the facility without anyone noticing. Traffic police also investigated the car accident. Both investigations are still ongoing. For more read 2-year-old in critical condition after struck by car in Tel Aviv.

Published on:

By David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

Education%20Day%20Care%20Building%20Block%20G.jpgIn Nebraska and other States, parents bring their children to day care centers with the hope and expectation that good care will be provided and at the end of the day the child will be healthy, happy, and ready for pick up to go home. Unfortunately, not all days spent in a day care center are so idyllic and, in some instances, a child suffers serious personal injuries and even death in a day care center. Some personal injuries and deaths are unexpected and could not be prevented even under the best of circumstances but other deaths and injuries could be prevented with better supervision, more timely medical care, and compliance with the State and local day care regulations.

Published on:

By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

US%20State%20Flag%20Texas.jpgJessica Tata ran a day care center in Houston, Texas. She ran the day care center but did not run it well. On February 24, 2011, there was a fire at the day care center that caused the death of 4 children under Tata’s care. It was reported that there were no adults in the day care center when it was on fire. Law enforcement officials have charged Jessica Tata with the crimes of reckless injury to a child, abandoning a child under the age of 15, and manslaughter. It is believed that Tata fled to Nigeria. Currently, Jessica Tata is on the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) 15 Most Wanted List. See Day Care Owner Added to “Most Wanted List”.

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