Child Injury Lawyer Blog

By Scott Zahler, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

Roberto Emilio Basilio and Ayinde Kadeen Woodley, both 18, and Anthony Jason Riddle and Jose Luis Sotero, both 17, were charged with battery, theft and robbery after they allegedly beat and robbed a thirteen-year-old boy at The Avenue Forsyth in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The boy was repeatedly punched and then was robbed of his Gucci backpack. The thirteen-year-old sustained cuts and abrasions in the assault, which required medical attention.

Captain Tim House with the sheriff's office said, “It sounds like a bunch of kids got together and for whatever reason, decided to make mayhem at the Avenue.”

Criminal defendants in Georgia are entitled to representation by a Georgia criminal defense attorney or the services of a public defender's office. Through a criminal investigation, evidence and statements are gathered and the case is pursued through trial and / or a plea agreement. In some cases, the charges are ultimately dismissed if the evidence is deemed insufficient to pursue the case further.

It is important for parents to be aware of the location and activities of their children. While this is difficult when dealing with teenagers, parents should repeatedly insist that their children call to let them know they are safe, regardless of the time.

Police should also increase their drive-by routine checks on certain areas at night. They should circle dangerous and suspicious areas more frequently than other areas. Increased patrolling may help lower the crime rate and keep kids safe.

For more information, see 4 accused of beating teen outside theater.

By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

There are many factors that parents should consider when sending their children to a day care center. A website is located at www.txchildcaresearch.org. The website provides parents with valuable information regarding Texas day care centers and child care centers. It has information on day care centers located in cities and towns in the State of Texas. By typing in a city’s zip code or the center’s name, anyone can find the information they need about the particular day care center they are researching. Once on the site, a person can research inspections performed at any center and if the center was given any citations. Reports done by the inspectors are also available.
In addition to researching the center, Texas Chid Protective Services recommends touring the facility before choosing which day care to send your child. CPS also says that babysitters may have to be licensed depending on how many children are being cared for and if the child is related to the sitter or not.

Because of the economy and the family dynamic, many parents have no other choice but to engage the services of a day care center or child care center. While government regulations and inspections can help weed out dangerous or non-compliant day care centers, parents should always be diligent in pre-screening the day care center on their own and then continue their due diligence on a frequent basis while the child is enrolled in the day care center. A parent should try to visit the day care center at different times of the day and get to know each person providing care to the child in the Texas day care center.

For more information, see “CPS: Don’t Be In the Dark.”

By Will Brown, Attorney & David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

An unfortunate incident recently took place at the University of Cincinnati (Ohio). It was reported that Everette Howard, an 18 year old student, died as a result of injuries sustained by a Taser gun used by campus police. It was reported that Everette was attempting to break up a fight at the time. It is expected that a full investigation will be completed and then be summarized in a written report since a death resulted from this incident. There appeared to be several witnesses to the incident. The use of force by a police officer is permitted under certain circumstances. In particular, if the health safety and welfare of the police office and / or others are put at risks - force is often times utilized. There are particular policies and procedures in place for each police department as to the use of force including the use of Taser guns. The incident will be reviewed to determine if protocols and criteria were met with respect to the facts and circumstances of this incident.

While Taser guns are typically a less dangerous alternative to the use of a gun, there are still serious personal injuries and even deaths that result from the use of a Taser gun. Law enforcement officials should be respected and orders by the same should be followed. When force is used, it should be reasonable and necessary. Whether the force used is considered excessive will depend on the facts and circumstances of each incident.

For more information, see "Everette Howard Died Saturday At UC Campus."

By Kevin Leach, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

A young girl recently accompanied her mother to Washington Dulles airport to pick up a friend who was arriving from Argentina. A Customs and Border Protection K-9 unit dog that was undergoing training suddenly attacked the girl, knocking her over and clamping down on her pelvis. The dog refused to release, and was eventually subdued by its handler. The girl’s mother was also bitten by the dog when she tried to help her daughter. According to witnesses, the child did nothing to provoke the dog.

The child was taken to a nearby hospital and has reportedly been given twenty stitches in her torso. She has been released from the hospital and is being cared for at home. The mother was understandably upset after the attack, but doesn’t appear to have a problem with ongoing dog training efforts at the airport. She did say she believed that the handlers should take more precautions with dogs in training, such as muzzling them and keeping them away from small children.

It is a shame that an animal being trained to protect citizens attacked this young girl. She will no doubt be scarred both emotionally and physically from the attack.

Read more details about the child mauled by a customs dog at Dulles Airport at Report: Customs patrol dog attacks child at Dulles Airport.

By Stephanie F. Brown, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

Four year old Nathaniel Stafford is in critical condition after being attacked by a Labrador / Pit Bull mix. According to the boyfriend of the victim’s mother, Brian Caron, the attack was so vicious that it nearly killed the boy. The dog reportedly tore into the child’s head, tearing his ears off and lacerating his throat – only narrowly missing Nathaniel’s jugular vein. Caron and his girlfriend were watching the dog, named Chaos, for friends while they were out of town. They had the dog tied up at the edge of their property, but it managed to break free. The dog’s owner, Thomas Chastain, has agreed to have the dog put down. In the meantime, Nathaniel’s face and ears have been stitched back together, but he may have to wait up to ten days for a skin graft to cover his damaged scalp.

This story is quite horrific. This child has been scarred for life and only time will tell how the injuries will affect him as he grows up.

Dogs are unpredictable animals. As such, parents should be extremely careful when taking on the obligation of watching or caring for a pet.

Read more about this vicious dog attack at Child Mauled By Dog in Conyers Georgia.

By David M. Baum, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

A woman, Ebere Ozonwu, was rushing to make her train in Chicago this week when she unintentionally put her own child in danger. According to witnesses, the woman had started pushing her child, who was in a stroller, into the train car when the doors closed on it and the train started moving. The woman and other horrified onlookers watched as the stroller slammed against the wall of the tunnel it was entering and the child was thrown out onto the tracks. The little girl was hospitalized but has been released.

Safety features on the train doors should have prevented it from closing when the stroller was in the doorway. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the Chicago police are investigating the accident, and so far they have found no problems with the train’s safety features. The train’s driver, who continued to make five more stops before realizing what had happened, has been taken off duty. The train has been taken out of service until the incident can be investigated further.

While it is still not clear what happened in this case, it is clear that people need to use caution and common sense when they are around trains and other potentially dangerous objects.

You can read more about this accident and the good Samaritans who helped save the baby at Toddler thrown onto CTA tracks in accident.

By Roy S. Dickinson, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

Troy Helms, an 11-year-old from Grove, Oklahoma was attending the Strut Your Mutt dog walk sponsored by the Humane Society of Grove and Grand Lake when he accidentally fell on the ground. A Great Dane attacked the child, biting down on his face and neck. The boy received more than 100 stitches.

Witnesses say that the dog’s owner simply loaded his dog into his vehicle and left the scene. He was later cited by police for the attack.

When owner’s take their dogs into public, they are liable for the actions of the dog. While animals are by nature unpredictable, an owner who suspects that his dog might behave aggressively in public has a legal and ethical responsibility to protect the public from the dog, whether that means leaving the animal at home or fitting it with a muzzle. They should certainly not bring the animal into a crowded event where there are children present. The story does not mention if the child’s family will file a lawsuit against the dog’s owner or the humane society, but they are certainly within their rights to do so.

Find out more about this story at Okla. Boy, 11, Mauled By Great Dane At Dog Walk.