Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Police officials in Baker, California, have arrested a former day are worker in connection with the October 2010 death of a 2-month-old baby at a local day care center. 22-year-old Ashley Rene Reifer was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of cruelty to a juvenile. The autopsy of Brody Hopper revealed that Brody died of traumatic brain injury or Shaken Baby Syndrome, said Police Chief Make Knaps. Reifer worked at Busy Bee Learning Center in Baker, California. According to investigators, Brody was in her sole care on the day of his death.
A 20-year-old day care worker was recently arrested and charged with cruelty to a juvenile. Alexis Binford was booked into Ouachita Correctional Center after she bit a child under her care at the day care center. In the arrest affidavit, the infant’s father told police his son had a bite mark on his cheek. The report also revealed that Binford texted the mother of the infant admitting she had bit the child, however, Binford claimed she was playing with the child when the incident occurred. According to the director of the day care center, Binford was in a room with multiple children including the infant victim. The oldest child in the room was 1-year-old and had only 2 teeth – the bite marks on the infant’s cheek reveal that his was bit by a person with more than 2 teeth. Although Binford told the child’s mother the incident was an accident, Binford did tell police the child had been crying non-stop, she could not make him stop and thus, felt overwhelmed. There was an incident in November 2010 where Binford’s own child was bit on the ear. Binford told West Monroe police she did not know who did it and denied doing it herself. If you would like to read more on this story please see 
In West Virginia and other States, children are cared for and supervised at treatment facilities for emotional and behavioral problems. The facility and staff have a duty to provide consistent and compassionate care for these children. Unfortunately, some child care workers abuse their position and abuse or neglect children under their care. Having video surveillance in child care facilities including treatment centers, day care centers, and schools can be very helpful in monitoring and evaluating the care provided to children. In some instances, the situation would be difficult to evaluate without such video surveillance because it may just be the child’s word against the employee’s word. If the child has emotional or behavioral problems – then it may be difficult to prove the abuse / neglect and convince the sheriff’s office, district attorney / state attorney, and others to take action.
KCBS News (San Francisco) has reported that a man has been arrested on charges of child molestation at a San jose day care center. Campos Day Care Center is located on Chatsworth Place and may have been the site of lewd acts committed on a child at the day care center. Police are concerned that there may be more victims of abuse by Primitivo Campos – age 60. There is a hotline to call with any information regarding abuse at the day care center. Call Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (408) 947-7867 or Santa Clara Child Exploitation Detail at (408) 277-4102. See 
In Kansas, a former Johnson County Kansas day care operator was sentenced to a 41 month prison term for the tragic death of an 18 month girl that was under her care. The prison term resulted from the conviction of charged of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated child endangerment, and operating a day care center with too many children. Ava Patrick was the victim who died when her neck got stuck in a wooden fence of the day care center operated by Lawrence. The attorney for Ms. Lawrence argued that the death resulted as a result of an accident and not from reckless conduct. See 
A family of Fort Bend County, Texas, Jose, Lindsay and their daughter Gracie Galarza, is still suffering from tremendous stress and grief years after their child was allegedly abused by a worker at the child’s home daycare facility. The little girl, who is now two-and-a-half-years-old, was 9-months-old at the time of the incident. Jennifer Sides, the worker at the home daycare center, was charged with injury to a child. Deputies say Sides caused severe personal injuries to the toddler’s head as a result from being shaken. The Galarzas said Gracie had to be hooked up to machines due to the severe extent of her personal injuries to her head. Gracie sustained bleeding and swelling to her brain, as well as experienced bleeding behind her eyes. After doctros examined the nature and extent of Gracie’s personal injuries, the doctors informed the Galarzas the injuries were the result of the toddler being shaken. In fact, the doctors told the parents it was more than an accident, it was child abuse.
A 38-year-old woman of Lufkin, Texas, has been sentenced to 15 years probation after accepting a plea deal and pleading guilty to injury of a child and unlawful restraint. However, some people may not be satisfied with Kathy Butler Taylor’s sentence because of the nature of child abuse she allegedly inflicted onto three different people. Taylor was accused of using an extension cord and tape to abuse children. One child told investigators that Taylor would bind her hands, feet and mouth with tape. After being bound, Taylor would then beat her with an extension cord. If you would like to read more on this story please see 
In Pennsylvania and other States, it is important for day care owners and child care providers to consistently supervise children under their care. Just a few minutes or even seconds of inattention can lead to serious personal injuries and even the death of children. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a day care owner and her daughter were sentenced to probation for an incident in which a child under their care died. Police officers / detectives believe that a 10 month old baby in the day care center was killed by a 7 year old . It was reported that authorities believe that the 7 year old was the granddaughter of the day care owner. For some reason, the 7 year old beat the 10 month old defenseless baby and then threw the baby on the carpeted concrete floor. As a result thereof, the baby suffered a severe skull fracture. You can read more about this story at