Miami Injury Lawyer Blog
Four-year-old Jordan Coleman died because his babysitter left him asleep in the backseat of a hot SUV. On the day of his death, Jordan and seven other children from his daycare center, 3C Day Academy, were taken on a fun outing to the community pool in Lauderdale Lakes and to a park for lunch. After their outing, they were loaded into a hot SUV and taken to an apartment for their naps. Jordan never left the SUV. He remained asleep in the back while temperatures rose to 108 degrees and died in the sweltering vehicle. Now, one of the daycare workers who left him in the vehicle has been charged with aggravated manslaughter for her role in his death. For more information on the case, click here.
Nineteen-year-old Pairs Ward was arrested and appeared in court late yesterday afternoon to face the aggravated manslaughter charge. The indictment against her also lists the names of the other women who were in charge of caring for Jordan on the day he died, but the two women remain at large. According to news reports, Ward was in tears during her entire hearing, while her lawyer “emphasized at the hearing that his client, who had recently finished high school, was not a full-time employee of the day-care and had no criminal record before the arrest.” Ward initially lied to police about how Jordan died, claiming he “inexplicably collapsed” while climbing into the SUV but later revealed the truth. Jordan’s family wants all parties involved in his death “brought to justice–and this is the beginning.” Jordan’s family also believes that the Broward County child-care licensing authorities are partially responsible for the boy’s death. According to the family lawyer, “There were breakdowns across the board in this case, beginning with inspectors who did not enforce the law at that day-care center.”
Ward and another woman whose mother owned the 3C Day Academy took the children on the outing in an effort to avoid state-child care regulators. The regulators stopped by the Academy to follow up after a prior visit revealed that the Academy was caring for more children than allowed by its license. Investigators believe that the Academy’s owner ordered Ward and the owner’s daughter to take the eight children out for the day to avoid another citation for over-capacity. The Academy had been cited multiple times since it’s opening in 2008 for similar infractions. Additionally, after Jordan’s death, an investigation revealed that there had been only one safety seat in the SUV for the eight children, who ranged from months old to five years old. The Broward County Sherriff’s Office has shut down 3C Day Academy.
Day-care worker jailed in death of 4-year-old left in hot SUV, www.miamiherald.com September 14, 2012.
A daycare is a place where parents should be able to entrust adults with their children. 3C Day Academy failed to fulfill its duty of care to Jordan and to his family. Many parents have no option but to place their children in daycare while they work during the day. As a parent, if you feel that your child has suffered an injury while in the care of a daycare center or any other childcare institution, call the child injury attorneys at the Friedland | Carmona today. Miami’s personal injury attorneys at the Friedland | Carmona understand that bringing a child injury claim can be emotionally difficult and are equipped to handle your family’s needs while bringing the claim. For over twenty years, Jonathan Friedland and Michael Carmona have dedicated their careers to helping child victims recover compensation for their injuries. Don’t hesitate; call (305) 661-2008 today for your free consultation.
The Miami child injury attorneys at the Friedland | Carmona handle all types personal injury cases throughout the state of Florida, including Boca Raton, Homestead, North Miami, South Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, Kendall, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. In addition to child injuries, the Friedland | Carmona handles all types of personal injury claims, including wrongful death, defective products, medical malpractice, slip and falls and construction site injuries. Call today and let our family take care of your family!