New complaints surface about Spring daycare currently under investigation
New allegations of child abuse surface at Spring Daycare
We were the first to tell you about a Spring mother, who claimed employees at a daycare broke a 3-month-old baby's arm back in April and the state and law enforcement stepped in to investigate and that employee was let go. However, months later, more complaints from other parents are surfacing. FOX 26's Natalie Hee has more.
HOUSTON - New complaints are surfacing about a Spring daycare that is currently under investigation.
In April 2021, FOX 26 first told you about a Spring mother who claimed employees from the Children's Lighthouse Daycare in Spring-Harmony broke her 3-month-old baby’s arm.
BACKGROUND: Spring mother claims daycare employees broke her 3-month-old's arm
That Spring mother hired attorneys George Oginni and John Leo to file a civil lawsuit against the daycare, claiming employees abused and neglected her baby.
The Texas Dept of Family Protective Services stepped in to investigate. Following an inspection, state authorities cited Children's Lighthouse Daycare in Spring-Harmony for multiple deficiencies.
"There's been a DFPS conclusion that states there was a broken arm sustained at the daycare. They narrowed it down to two individuals," Oginni said.
"The daycare was cited for the types of ways they handled the children, as well as the administrators checking in on the rooms," Oginni continued.
As a result, those accused employees no longer work at the daycare. Children's Lighthouse was also required to notify parents.
In June, attorneys representing Children's Lighthouse Spring-Harmony filed an appeal with the Health and Human Services Commission, the state agency that licenses and regulates daycares.
"We've done all that we can to comply with everything everyone wants us to do. You know, the problem in the allegation is that there's no logical explanation for how a child's arm could have been broken by our teacher, when our teacher was clearly 20 feet away when the child first started crying," said Brock Akers, the attorney representing Children's Lighthouse.
HHSC says no decision has been made on the appeal.
In a statement, a spokesperson said, "Our top priority at HHSC is the health and safety of children in the childcare facilities we regulate. An inspection at the Children’s Lighthouse of Spring resulted in HHSC citing the operation for a deficiency related to "Responsibilities of Employees and Caregivers - Ensure No Child Abused, Neglected, or Exploited" on 6/14/21. This deficiency is pending and the childcare operation is entitled to due process.
The operation is currently on a voluntary plan of action that began in November. During a voluntary plan of action, a childcare operation works on a plan with HHSC to improve compliance with minimum standards. HHSC also inspects the operation more frequently during this plan of action.
Due to an open investigation at the childcare operation, we cannot provide additional information at this time."
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While Children's Lighthouse works with HHSC to fix the issues, new complaints are surfacing.
"For every new person that comes forward, there may be three more out there that haven’t, and that really goes to the extent of the abuse that’s occurred over the years," said Leo.
Last Thursday, Kristin Echols withdrew her son, John Walker III, from the daycare after tuning in to the live cameras.
"It's disheartening to watch your kid, who's 19-months-old, being mishandled by an adult that supposed to watch him," Echols said.
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On multiple occasions, Echols said she and her family watched the new daycare employees mishandle her child.
"He goes to the middle of the school classroom and tries to pick up a toy out of the toy bin. One of the teachers yanked him by the wrist, dragged him to his cot, threw him on his bed, and walk off nonchalantly," Echols said.
"There's been another incident where I saw a teacher yank him by the arm to pull them down and sit down on playtime circle," Echols continued.
Echols said she did her research but was unaware of the previous complaints. While relieved her son is okay, Echols decided to take action.
"I immediately went to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department. I spoke with a detective, only to find out there's other cases going on. That's where I felt like I failed him because I didn't do my research," Echols said.
"Sometimes people, because they are so protective of their own children, are not able to think as clearly, and as rationally, and as directly and reason. Sometimes there are disagreements and misunderstandings," Akers said.
The incident prompted Montgomery County Pct. 3 Constables to launch an ongoing criminal investigation. No charges have been filed.