Lawsuit Claims Baby Girl's Burned Face and Singed Hair the Result of Negligent, Untrained Daycare Workers

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Apr 18, 2023, 09:13 ET

Child's parents, represented by The Button Law Firm, allege Springbok Academy ignored childcare laws, including training staff on how to use industrial-strength cleaner responsible for child's burns

DENTON, Texas, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The parents of a 1-year-old girl are suing Springbok Academy in Denton, claiming their daughter's face was burned and hair on the back of her head was singed after workers placed the child on a nap mat that had been cleaned with an incorrect amount of harsh industrial-strength cleaner. Although the child started crying and appeared in distress, the workers restrained her on the same mat for two hours, resulting in traumatic physical and emotional injuries to the child. The filing reads that the daycare violated several Texas childcare licensing rules that could have prevented the incident from occurring in February 2022.

The parents of a 1-year-old girl are suing a Denton daycare claiming their daughter’s face was burned and hair on the back of her head was singed after workers restrained the baby for 2 hours on a nap mat cleaned with an incorrect amount of harsh industrial-strength cleaner.

Caregivers at Springbok Academy habitually used a commercial grade, corrosive disinfectant to clean the children's nap mats. The strong cleaning product has clearly labeled dilution instructions and a first aid warning with urgent care directions if the chemical comes into contact with skin or contaminates clothing, according to the complaint. Despite the label's instructions and warning, video footage from the day of the incident shows workers neglecting to take proper action when the baby girl showed signs of distress. Instead, the daycare workers restrained the girl and forced her to lie facedown on the chemically coated mat, according to the suit. They moved her to her back, and in eight minutes, the hair on the back of her head was singed, causing more pain for the child. The suit claims that the baby girl screamed out in pain so loudly for the two hours she was restrained by daycare workers that teachers in other classrooms could hear the girl's wails. Because of the worker's negligence, the suit states this baby girl's face is left with permanent scarring from chemical burns.

When selecting a daycare center for their two children, Barbara and BoJustin Epting trusted Springbok Academy's claims of "providing quality care" and "in-house training" beyond the state's annual training requirements. However, an investigation by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission found that not a single staff member at Springbok Academy knew how to properly dilute or use the industrial-strength cleaning supplies, according to the complaint. In addition, the investigation found that the daycare's violations of state licensing rules, including a lack of caregiver training, forcing a child to rest, and using hazardous chemicals not according to the manufacturer's instructions, led to this baby girl's injuries. The daycare also had more than 10 citations from the state for child safety issues in the month leading up to the incident.

"A child screaming out in pain for two hours, which could be heard by those outside of the classroom, is an obvious red flag to any qualified caregiver that something is clearly wrong," says The Button Law Firm attorney Russell Button, who represents the Epting family. "Springbok Academy made important promises to these parents by presenting itself as a safe and caring environment for their children, but it failed them in every way. This entirely preventable, horrific incident will have lifelong impacts on an innocent girl."

The case is Barbara Epting and BoJustin Epting, Individually and as Parents and Next Friends of L.E., a minor child, vs. Springbok Academy, Inc., d/b/a Springbok Academy, Cause No. 23-3263-431 in Denton County, Texas. A copy of the complaint can be accessed here.

About the Button Law Firm

The Button Law Firm (https://www.buttonlawfirm.com) is a Texas-based personal injury law firm that advocates for children and their families in meaningful litigation to make local communities safer. The firm focuses on daycare and child-related injuries such as abuse and neglect cases, finger injuries, toy-related injuries, and catastrophic injuries. With attorneys in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, The Button Law Firm helps families across the Lone Star State.

SOURCE The Button Law Firm