Multiple parents file lawsuits against Crockett daycare alleging abuse, neglect

Lawsuits filed against daycare after claims of abuse, neglect

FOX 26 Anchor Rashi Vats spoke with several parents as lawsuits have been filed against a Crockett daycare alleging abuse and neglect of children.

CROCKETT, Texas - A daycare nightmare where multiple families are reporting abuse and neglect of their little kids.

Surveillance video from Treehouse Academy Childcare Center shows the alleged violent abuse of one child. Now, parents are coming forward saying this has happened to their little one and now lawsuits are being filed.

"I was mad and I was shocked. Kind of taken away. I didn’t understand why she did what she did, why she treated him so roughly," said Paola Mendez-Vargas, a parent who says her son was on the surveillance video from Treehouse Academy in Crockett.

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The lawyer representing the families suing says the worker in the video hit the toddler. The toddler clearly heard crying, is flipped over, and then jerked across the floor.

"My anger isn’t towards just the worker. My anger is towards the owner who is the director of the facility. I recently found out that this employee had criminal charges that had to do with children and the state sent her a certified letter specifically telling her she could not be left alone in any point of time with children," said Mendez-Vargas.

FOX 26 obtained that letter from Texas Health and Human Services to Lyndsey Rice, the director of the Academy. In part, it says the employee should not "be left alone with a child or group of children…"

Other teachers have also abused children at Treehouse Academy, according to other parents that are now suing the child care center.

"I’ve only been able to watch a couple of videos. I couldn’t really just bear to watch all of them. There were instances where my daughter was pulled by her hair, she was dragged in a chair and fell backwards…she was just told to get up and shut up," said Aly Brink, who says her 5-year-old son was abused.

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"There were videos of him where he was jerked around by his arm to the point when he came home, he was still complaining that it hurts," said Jessie Pippin, who claims her 4-year-old was abused.

There are a total of seven lawsuits against the daycare accusing neglect and abuse.

FOX 26 chose not to name the employees because they are currently not facing charges. We did reach out to Treehouse Academy for comment and have not heard back.

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