By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Apparently, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has plans to withdraw it proposal to add stricter staffing requiring for the Texas day care facilities. The main reason for the withdrawal is money, especially in the current economy. Specifically, officials predict that lowering the number of children that each day care worker would supervise across the state would increase day care rates.
Tragically in Kansas and other States, children are the unfortunate victims of injury and even death in day care centers. In Olathe, Kansas, a day care operator was recently convicted for the death of a 18 month old. The incident took place at the day care center in 2009. It was the child’s first day at a day care center and also her last day of life. Ava Patrick’s head got stuck in the slats of a wooden fence. She suffocated as a result of the incident. The case eventually made it to a criminal jury trial against the operator of the Kansas day care center. A jury convicted Jeanette L. Lawrence, age 47, of involuntary manslaughter. The day care center was overcrowded and understaffed.
A shooting occurred at a privately-owned off-campus fraternity house in New Jersey. A Seton Hall University student said the gunman stood on her back while firing off rounds, apparently with no intended target. The party started on a Friday evening and went into early Saturday, with at least 100 people in attendance. According to students, the shooter was kicked out of the party earlier in the evening for refusing to pay cover to get into the house. The Seton Hall University student stated she heard a fight erupt before the gunman was kicked out and moments later he returned with a handgun and started shooting.
In Novato, California, school officials closed down three playgrounds at schools to further study the playgrounds for safety precautions. Experts will be consulted to determine what modifications need to be made to make the playgrounds safer for children. One child was reported to fall from the structure which, in turn, caused a fractured arm. Another child also fractured an arm while another suffered from a dislocated shoulder. It was reported that 6 children suffered broken bones after falling from these structures in just a 3 week time period. Officials will evaluate the height of the structure, the number of children that have been playing on the structure at one time, and the manufacturer specifications for the structure.
The driver of a small, black regular cab truck with pinstripes down the side is wanted for questioning in an hit-and-run accident involving a 12-year-old bicyclist. The Heath, New Jersey Police Department was notified about the incident when the child’s mother called and informed them her child had been hit while riding home.
A Fairfax County day care worker was arrested and is being held on a charge that he molested a four-year-old girl. The man was arrested while trying to flee the country. The day care worker was identified as 22-year-old Siyamand Salehzadeh, he was an employee at Minnieland Day care center in the Centreville area of Virginia.
In Louisville, Kentucky and other towns and cities, there is one particular area at a home that can be and is extremely dangerous to children – “the driveway”. Unfortunately and tragically, driveway or back over accidents and incidents continue to be reported in Kentucky and other parts of the United States. In Louisville, Fox 41 News reported that a 22 month old girl died as a result of getting hit by a vehicle in a driveway. It was reported that the vehicle was driven by the girl’s father. This appears to be an incident in which the driver just did not see the child as he was back up or driving in the driveway. Toddlers are short and small and often times cannot be seen by a driver operating a vehicle in the driveway. News reports indicate that no charges are anticipated regarding this incident.
Jennifer Mock, a 37-year-old woman, crashed her car into an Eastern Pennsylvania day care center last November; the center was full of children at the time of the incident. Mock has recently admitted that she was driving under the influence when the crash occurred. Although no children were injured, an employee at the center, Little Sunshines Day Care Center, did suffer a leg injury.