Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Stephanie Brown and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Georgia Child Day Care / Child Care Centers are regulated by Georgia Law under Chapter 290-2 – Rules and Regulations for the State of Georgia – Department of Human Resources – Family & Children Service – Child Care Institutions. A Day Care Center is defined as any place operated by an entity for pay and group care for less than 24 hours per day for 19 or more children under the age of 18 which involves the transfer of legal custody during the portion of the day which is required to be licensed by the Department of Human Resources. You can read other definitions under Rules and Regulations for the State of Georgia at Chapter 290-2.2-.03 Definitions.
By Stephanie Brown and David Wolf, Attorney
An Ogden, Utah teenager was beaten by three teeangers and two adults. There was little evidence for the criminal and police investigation until the attackers posted a video of the attack on You Tube. A 15 year old student from Mt. Ogden Utah Junior High was the victim of a beating by Alexandra Gutierrez, Paloma Lopez, and three teenagers from Mound Fort Junior High. The victim was kicked, punched and kneed in her face. The fight was encouraged by others. This is far from harmless fun or a mere school yard scuffle. Serious injuries and even death can result from even one punch or blow to the head.
A study in Cincinatti, Ohio has indicated that obesity surgery may help reverse diabetes in teen. The study was small in nature but produced promising results as to the benefits of obesity surgery and its effects on diabetes in overweight / obese teens. The study was led by Dr. Thomas Inge, a pediatric surgeon at the Cincinatti Children’s Medical Center in Cincinatti, Ohio.
Brittany Zimmeran, a college student who had dreams of being a doctor, called a New York 911 operator as she was being attacked by a stranger. According to a subsequent investigation, the police did not respond to the scene for 48 minutes. By the time police arrived, Brittany had died. Her fiance found her body. The 911 operator claimed that she did not hear anything on the telephone call to 911; however, the tape recording of the call captured audible screams and gasps and what would seem like a struggle on the end of line held by Brittany Zimmerman.
Camden Belfield died in July 2008 after touching a light pole at Bartonville Park in Peoria Illinois. The wiring was insufficient and not properly grounded according to an investigation of the incident. It is most unfortunate that 8 year old Camden Belfield died due to inadequate safety measures for the light pole. The incident happened while Camden was playing tag with friends at approximately 9 p.m. at night on July 20, 2008 when he came in contact with the wooden light pole. Apparently, the light pole and its wiring had been deficient since the year it was installed in 1994. The school district owned the property and leased it out to the Limestone Girls Softball Association for its use. A lawsuit was later filed for the wrongful death of Camden Belfield.
Wisconsin, as does most states, requires that school bus drivers pass a criminal background check prior to receiving a school bus driver’s license endorsement. Although Wisconsin allows school bus drivers to have felony convictions, it does provide a detailed list of felony convictions, including convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, which will disqualify a person from being a school bus driver for periods of time ranging from two years to a lifetime disqualification. You can read more about the qualifications for school bus drivers in Wisconsin at the 
Going to the movie theater during the holiday break can be deadly. James Joseph Cialella, 29, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became upset over noisy movie goers and decided to open fire in the movie theater. Police were called to the theater and arrested Cialella who was carrying a .380 caliber handgun in his pants.
What are the staffing requirements for Missouri day care centers? Pursuant to 19 Code of State Regulations Section 60.050 – Staffing Requirements, a day care facility has a legal duty to provide supervision and basic care of all children in the day care facility program. In particular, staff members must provide care to promote the health and safety of the children. In addition, staff members shall not be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs when providing care for the children. There are specific staff ration requirements set forth by the Missouri Code of State Regulations. The staff ratios are dependent on the age of the children and the number of children in a group being supervised by the day care facility.
South Portland Maine firefighters found a mother and her young son unconscious in their apartment apparent victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. A heater used to keep warm after losing power is the presumed cause of the poisoning. Both mother and child initially received treatment at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, but subsequently were transported to a Boston hospital for treatment. Three residents of a second apartment unit complained of headaches and received care at Maine Medical Center. You can read more about the incident at