Missouri – In a shocking case, a concerned father from St. Louis is taking legal action against a daycare center he entrusted to care for and protect his beloved 1-year-old daughter.
In the winter of 2023, J. Thomas noticed unusual bruising and scratches on his daughter’s body after picking her up from Lily Pad Learning Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Concerned and seeking answers, the father confronted the daycare facility but was met with deceit.
The workers claimed the bruises were harmless and attributed them to a made-up illness. After four days of relentless questioning by the child’s father the truth was revealed, his child suffered abuse from a daycare worker. The news led the infant’s father to take action and contact the authorities.
A thorough investigation by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Office of Childhood – Child Care Compliance brought a distressing discovery of abuse and neglect to light.
Shocking surveillance footage documents a caregiver forcefully feeding his daughter to the point of choking and vomiting. Further mistreatment was revealed as Lily Pad Learning Center employees were accused of allegedly fabricating an incident report to conceal the abuse.
Authorities also uncovered that multiple employees within the childcare facility were not only aware of the abuse but also witnessed instances of abuse towards the infant and took no action to safeguard the welfare of the child and other children under their care.
What Childcare Violations Paved the Way for the Daycare Abuse to Happen?
Shockingly, this incident was not isolated, as Lily Pad Learning Center had already amassed 48 citations for childcare and safety violations between January 2021 and January 2023, when the abuse of our client occurred.
Some of those citations included:
- Caregiver not completing the required sleep training in the past three years.
- Children are exceeding the ages permitted by license.
- Hazardous items are accessible to children in the two-year-old and infant/toddler rooms.
- Failing to conduct background screening for all but one caregiver employee.
- Not having an approved director on staff.
- Failing to conduct facility orientation for three caregiver employees.
- Two employees are not meeting the required 12 clock hours of training per calendar year.
- Failure to conduct a criminal background check for caregiver employees.
And in our client’s case:
- Failing to use only constructive, age-appropriate methods of discipline.
How the Attorneys at Finney Injury Law Firm are Helping This Family Find Justice
Finney Injury Law firm has partnered with The Button Law Firm, a Texas-based law firm, to ensure that Lily Pad Learning Center is held accountable for its actions. Combining their expertise in childcare safety and violation guidelines with our team of highly experienced litigation attorneys, we have filed a lawsuit against the daycare facility on behalf of the client.
At our core, we are dedicated to holding Lily Pad Learning Center accountable for its actions and diligently pursuing a just resolution for our valued client.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Daycare Abuse Attorney
If your child has been harmed by their daycare or childcare worker, don’t hesitate to reach out to our firm. We understand the challenges you face during this difficult time, which is why our experienced team is here to support and guide you. We have proudly assisted numerous parents and families in Missouri and Illinois, and we want to extend the same help to you.
Give us a call at 314-293-4222, and one of our team members will be available to discuss your situation and explore the options available to you.