DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A family is suing a DeKalb County daycare after they say an employee left a 9-month-old in scalding water for more than three minutes.
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Sharece Besley says her son had to endure months of recovery after being left in scalding water at the Young Mindz Learning Academy.
“I had to watch them pop his blisters; no amount of pain medicine could help him,” Beasley said.
Beasley, alongside her attorney, Michael Neff, told Channel 2′s Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln that they’ve filed a lawsuit against the facility.
“You put your trust in them, and to see how they took care of Virgil or didn’t take care of Virgil is heartbreaking,” Neff said.
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In exclusive surveillance video provided to Channel 2 Action News, the employee is seen aggressively removing baby Virgil’s clothing after he had an accident. She’s then seen placing the baby in a sink filled with hot water. When she removed Virgil, the employee finally realized the baby was in pain. In a state of panic, the employee is seen on video running around the daycare for more than 15 minutes.
“I just never in a million years thought something like this would happen,” Beasley told Lincoln.
Beasley’s lawsuit says the employee ignored policy and was not supposed to bathe Virgil.
“They were supposed to use wet wipes,” Neff said.
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The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning launched a three-month investigation after this incident.
The state says the employee engaged in an action that was detrimental to the wellbeing of the child when he was burned with hot water.
The state also reported the facility did not follow child rations by not housing children under 3 in a separate area. At one point in the video, a young child is seen looking over Virgil after he was burned.
“This is a multi-level fail on the business,” Neff said.
Lincoln spoke with the owner over the phone. She said she is aware of this incident but declined to comment at this time.
Recent state inspection reports show this facility has made corrections since this incident and is currently in good standing with the state.
The employee was arrested and charged with cruelty to children. She was sentenced to serve probation.
“I feel like nobody’s done anything to try and make it right for him; he needs justice,” Beasley said.
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