No amount of money can bring back a child who has died unnecessarily. However, sometimes the only recourse that parents have is to file a civil lawsuit against those responsible for the tragedy.
A Chicago-area family has accepted a $1 million wrongful death settlement for the death of their infant daughter last November at a day center facility in Lombard. The settlement is being paid by the day care center’s insurance company to the estate of the 3-month-old. That’s the maximum amount available under the policy.
According to the child’s family, one man at the facility was left alone to supervise 20 children while his wife was running errands and another employee was at lunch. The girl’s mother’s attorney called that “insane.” It’s also a violation of Illinois day care licensing requirements. There is supposed to be at least one adult present for every four infants.
The lawsuit says that the man left to get a bottle for a child and that the baby who died was lying on a blanket unsupervised on her stomach for up to 30 minutes. When the man returned, she was reportedly not breathing and had turned blue.
That left one individual alone with 20 children, which was in violation of Illinois State licensing requirements that require every four infants to be supervised by at least one adult. The day care center, which was in the couple’s home, has been closed by Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services and the house is being sold. The wife, who owns the business, is facing eight licensing violations.
Parents who leave their children in daycare facilities or with other caregivers want to believe that they’re going to be safe. When a child is injured or worse, it’s essential to find out what your legal options are. By seeking justice, you may save other lives.
Source: Daily Herald, “Family settles for $1 million in death of infant at Lombard day care,” Justin Kmitch, June 21, 2017