A Texas day care is sued after a two-year-old girl fell into a six- to seven-foot- deep drain filled with fecal matter and was trapped for nearly an hour before anyone noticed.
The incident occurred on November 01, 2024, at Children's Lighthouse day care in Prosper, Texas. The girl, identified as A.B., was playing on the playground when she fell into the drain, which had a cover labeled "Danger do not enter fatal poison gas". The cover either flipped back over or was replaced, trapping her inside.
The allegations are that the day care staff failed to notice the girl was missing and did not call 911 or any authorities.
The girl's father received an automatic email saying she had been checked out of the classroom, but when he called the day care, he was told it was a "glitch". The girl was eventually found nearly an hour later, covered in filth and showing signs of distress. It is alleged that the drain should have been fenced off and that the day care is responsible for ensuring the safety of its premises.
The day care has since installed a fence around the drain and reviewed its safety policies. The girl's parents are seeking accountability and answers, alleging that the day care has refused to provide surveillance footage of the incident.
https://www.wbko.com/2024/12/17/2-year-old-was-trapped-inside-drain-day-care-nearly-an-hour-before-anyone-noticed-lawsuit-says/ (Dec. 17, 2024); https://lawandcrime.com/lawsuit/swampy-mess-of-fecal-matter-2-year-old-fell-into-deep-day-care-drain-trapped-inside-for-an-hour-while-teacher-signed-her-out-of-class-lawsuit-says/ (Dec. 16, 2024).
Commentary
The incident illustrates the risk of not always watching small children and not fencing off areas of risk like holes, pools, and other areas where children can be harmed.
First, organizations that work with children must have enough adults present to always watch all children in their care - this means surveillance, but also "eyes on". Knowing where a child is at all times is the most important part of caring for a child. In contrast, relying on a video playback is never a best practice and only should be used as a last resort.
It is also crucial to fence off dangerous areas:
- Fencing physically prevents children from accessing dangerous areas, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries.
- Provides peace of mind for employees, parents and guardians.
- Protects organizations that work with children to comply with safety regulations.
- Fencing builds trust between the institution and the community, showing a commitment to safety and care.
The final takeaway is that organizations that work with children must constantly be checking to make sure that children are always accounted for and immediately address any missing child – and, most importantly, never attempt to cover up that a child is lost.
