14-Month-Old Child Burned Over 6.25% of his Body at Lakewood Child Care Center

We are honored to help a family who’s son was badly burned at A Child’s View Day Care Center. Below is copy of our press release that we issued on Sunday night after 7 News picked up the story.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [December 20, 2015] Contact: Scott O’Sullivan, 303-388-5304

DENVER, CO – On December 13, 2015, a 14-month-old boy was severely burned over 6.25% of his body at A Child’s View Preschool in Lakewood, CO. The Department of Human Services investigated and found that the Center left a crockpot full of hot water within reach of the toddler, who was sitting in a high chair. The toddler pulled the pot onto himself, spilling the hot water onto his body and severely burning his arms, legs, and abdomen.

The Center, which the child’s parents subsequently learned had a history of incidents reported to the Department of Human Services since 2013, has been shut down. The child underwent surgery for skin graphs and is likely facing long-term care requirements as a result of the burns.

The child’s parents, Brittany and Danny Pendery, issued the following statement:

When our son was burned, the center did not call 911. Instead, they called Brittany three separate times and never called Danny, who was literally across the street. We still don’t know how long our son suffered before he received care.

Prior to placing our son at this center, we did all of the homework that any normal parent does. We toured the facility and looked for violations at the appropriate sites online. We were unaware of how hard it is to find violations, which is why we want to tell our story. We want other parents to dig deeper into their center’s record, whether they are searching for a new center or they have been at a center for years. It’s important to be diligent and to regularly look into a daycare center’s government records.

We also want the other parents whose children were at A Child’s View to know that we are sorry they have had to scramble for new daycare options, but this was not a minor burn. Our son has suffered tremendously and we are struggling to manage the financial, emotional and medical requirements of his care. Please keep him in your thoughts as he faces these injuries.”

For parents researching daycare centers for their children, note the following:

• Review the following online sites for information about the centers you’re considering or where your child currently receives care:

• http://www.qualistar.org
• http://www.colorado.gov/…/j…/cdhs/childcare/lookup/index.jsf
• https://aspe.hhs.gov/…/parents-guide-choosing-safe-and-heal…

• If your center has violations listed, you may not be able to learn how minor or severe the violations were without asking the center itself and calling the Department of Human Services. These calls may seem tedious and frustrating but they are important to your child’s well-being.
• If you are at a center where a violation has occurred, the center may not inform you of the violation. You should frequently (every 6 months) check the online sites above and make calls to the Department of Human Services to inquire about any recent infractions.

For more information, contact our Denver injury attorney, Scott O’Sullivan, at (303) 388-5304.