By Robert Chaiken, Attorney & David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In Texas and other States, children are the unfortunate and tragic victims of abuse and neglect a day care centers. While many incidents are reported and investigated by local law enforcement, many such incidents go unreported and are hidden from the parents of the abused and neglected child. With technology and other advances, many day care centers now have video surveillance in the facility. Many day care centers even offer parents a portal during the day so that parents can log in and view the day care center activities and child care. Video surveillance often times is effective in helping the day care center owner and parents monitor the care provided by the day care center employees, staff, and volunteers. One would think that the presence of video surveillance would deter the imposition of unauthorized and abusive corporal punishment and other harmful acts of day care center employees and staff. Even with video surveillance in place, some employees still abuse and neglect children even with a camera pointed at them. It may be that the employee did not know that video surveillance was in place or had forgotten about the presence of video surveillance.
Accidental shootings unfortunately and tragically take the lives of children in the United States. Our country has a proud history of the right to bear arms. It is a constitutional guarantee. Many gun proponents argue that no laws should impinge on the constitutional right to bear arms. Others, however, argue that some restrictions and safeguards should be put in place for the protection of children and others. Any gun laws can bring out a heated debate. Frederick Rivara is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Wahington. Dr. Rivara wrote an article for the Seatte Times that advocated for the implementation of CAP (Child Access Protection) laws in the State of Washington as well as other States. An important issue is how to protect children from access to guns kept in the home and other locations. Dr. Rivara points out that gun, cable, or trigger locks effectively decrease the incidents of deaths from guns in the home. Child safety should be a universal goal and mission for all parents, schools, day care centers, and the community. Unfortunately, whether it is a gun that is not properly stored or other dangerous item or condition, children are injured every day due to a lack of safety precautions. Yes, some children are injured due to an unforeseeable accident or incident; however, it should be pointed out that many child injuries are preventable with due care and common sense. See 
What if my child is attacked or abused by a day care center owner employee volunteer? In Colorado and other States, parents rely on day care centers to provide supervision of children while parents are at work. It is vital that day care centers are staffed with caring and professional administrators, teachers, aides, and volunteers. Unfortunately, some owners and employees at day care centers are not well-trained and furthermore lack the patience, personality, and disposition to work with children. At times, some day care center owners and employees even resort to violence or threats of violence when faced with the challenges of caring for young children in the day care setting. Corporal punishment or the threat of corporate punishment at a day care center presents a real and present danger of harm to children enrolled in the day care center. When a child is harmed or threatened by day care center owner employee, there may be a civil cause of action or case to pursue against the day care center owner for your facility.
Holidays are often a great time to get together for family celebrations. Many families take the opportunity of a holiday weekend to have a BBQ, picnic, or vacation. The celebration of a holiday like Father’s Day does not have to be elaborate but it should be and often is a day spent with family. A simple breakfast, lunch, or BBQ is all that is really needed in most instances to celebrate Father’s Day. Gifts do not have to be elaborate either . . . a simple card, shirt, tie, or drawing can help bring in the day to celebrate Father’s Day. While the celebration of having a dad or being a dad does not have to be limited to one day a year, Father’s Day provides a day in which families can slow down and celebrate being part of a family.
With dog ownership comes responsibility and in some instances liabilty for dog bite related injuries to children. Every year thousands of children are the unfortunate victims of serious personal injuries resulting from dog bites and dog attacks. Whether the dog is a large, aggressive bred dog or now, a dog bite incident can have devastating and life altering effects on a small child. In some instances, the child even tragically dies as a result of a dog bite, attack, or mauling. Some dog bite incidents involve a family dog while others involve stray dogs. Either way, the aftermath of serious dog bite attack can be quite difficult for the child and the parents.
In most every home with a baby or infant, you will find baby bottles, sippy cups, and / or pacifiers While there are many benefits to these products, there can also be dangers which result in injuries to babies and infants. Nationwide Children’s Hospital conducted a study of ER visits between 1991 and 2010. It was reported that over 45,000 children under the age of 3 years old were treated in Emergency Rooms for accidents / injuries related to these common baby / infant products. The most common body parts / regions injured included the head, face, neck, and mouth. Many children were injured by these products during a fall while the child was walking or running with the product in his or her mouth at the time of the incident. Parents should consult their pediatrician as to recommendations for use or limitations as to pacifiers. This goes the same for bottles and sippy cups. For more information, see 
Churches and schools should be safe havens for children to learn and grow. Unfortunately, children are sometimes targeted by teachers, volunteers, and other adults who meet children at the church or school. For the most part, churches and schols are safe havens filled with staff member and volunteers who properly supervise and care for the children. There are some “bad apples” out there who use their position of trust and power to improperly take advantage of the very children under their supervision. Many predators get away with this horrid acts while others get caught before their master plans hatch into a harmful act against the vulnerable child.
Children are at risk and danger when walking to and from school. Unfortunately, child predators often times target children who are walking to and from school. One well known scam is for the predator to ask the child for help looking for a so called lost puppy or dog. It is a commonly used scheme that can be and is effective to many unknowing children who are innocent and sincere in helping out a stranger especially if there is a lost puppy or dog in need of rescuing. Parents, teachers, coaches, and other responsible adults should keep an eye out for such predators and scams.