Parents trust child care centers with their children. When a child comes home injured and the explanation is incomplete, that trust breaks down quickly. A recent incident in Concord shows why prompt notice, accurate records, and clear answers carry so much weight.
What Reportedly Happened at a Concord Child Care Center
Cashay Crowe says her 3-year-old son was injured at McGill Learning Center in late August. A knot formed on his head, and the swelling later spread around both eyes. According to Crowe, the center called nearly five hours after the knot appeared. Staff told her another 3-year-old had pushed him.
She took him to two hospitals. She was shown surveillance video, but she says the portion she most wanted to see was missing. Concord police are investigating, and the center says it is reviewing what happened. No finding of fault has been made.
The details above come from WCNC’s coverage of the incident, which includes the center’s response.
What North Carolina Requires After a Daycare Injury
Licensed centers follow rules adopted by the state Child Care Commission. One of those rules, 10A NCAC 09 .0802, requires providers to complete an incident report each time a child is injured while in care. That report must include:
- The date and time of the incident
- Any witness to what happened
- When the parent was notified and by whom
- The cause and type of injury, along with the body part affected
Any delay between an injury and a parent’s notice should be explained in the report, and gaps often become central questions later.
Steps Parents Can Take After a Child Care Injury
Put Medical Care First
Have your child evaluated promptly, even when an injury seems minor. Head injuries in young children can worsen over hours or days. Keep every discharge summary and follow-up note.
Preserve the Record
Request a written copy of the incident report. Photograph the injury daily, and write down names, times, and what staff told you. Ask the center, in writing, to preserve all video. Many systems overwrite footage routinely.
At The Layton Law Firm, we’ve seen early documentation turn a disputed account into a clear one.
When a Daycare May Be Responsible
Child care centers owe children reasonable supervision. That doesn’t mean every injury is negligence. Young children fall and bump into each other. But a claim may exist when harm results from understaffing, inattentive supervision, a delayed medical response, or a failure to follow required procedures. When another child caused the injury, the question usually becomes whether staff should have seen the risk and stepped in sooner.
A Concord, NC personal injury lawyer can help you determine whether the facts support a claim before evidence is lost.
Parents deserve a full, honest account when a child is hurt at daycare. For help getting one, contact our firm to discuss what happened to your child with a personal injury lawyer in Concord, NC.
Christopher D. Layton, Esq.
Christopher D. Layton, Esq. is the founder and lead attorney of The Layton Law Firm. He has been practicing law in Charlotte since 2000 and currently focuses on the plaintiff’s needs and personal injury clients. Chris chose to become a lawyer to protect people who would be taken advantage of without strong legal advocacy, and this dedication to the needs of his clients shows in the firm’s strong record of successful results. He founded The Layton Law Firm in 2011.