A Denton family filed a lawsuit claiming their infant son was left unsupervised and injured at a Denton day care center.
Maria Serna, the boy’s mother, and Juan Daniel Riojas Ramires, the boy’s father, filed the suit Jan. 2 on behalf of their 4-month-old son in Denton County civil court.
The lawsuit names Pro Kids Incorporated, the operator of The Kids Zone at 3730 E. McKinney St., and seeks more than $250,000 and up to $1 million in damages. The suit alleges the couple’s son was left alone in a bouncing chair and injured by an older child while no caregiver intervened.
Here’s what to know about the case:
Allegations
The parents say when they took their son to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Prosper, medical staff told them the boy had an infected scratch, bruises and an infected eye. The lawsuit alleges the day care left the infant unattended in a bouncing chair and was severely injured by an older child. The suit also claims staff at the day care failed to maintain the required staff-to-child ratios and separate infants from older children.
State response
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which licenses child care centers, said in an emailed statement to The Dallas Morning News that it prioritizes safety complaint investigations, which typically take 30 to 60 days. Licensed centers must report serious incidents, and enforcement can follow if violations are found. HHSC spokesperson James Rivera said if violations are found, the agency may call for corrective action or pursue enforcement, depending on the severity.
Parents’ statement
The family says the incident has shaken their trust in child care and led them to reconsider their infant’s care options. “It’s been difficult,” Riojas Ramires said. “We don’t know whether to keep him in day care or ask a family member to watch him.”