ATLANTA, Oct 9 (Townflex) – A Georgia day care center could face trial after one of its employees was caught on camera violently throwing a toddler to the ground, prompting a lawsuit that claims the facility failed to protect the child in its care.
Lawyers representing Sunshine House in Loganville appeared in a Gwinnett County courtroom on Tuesday as the family of the toddler seeks to hold the center accountable for the January 2022 incident. Parents Mallory and Matt Stevens filed the suit after surveillance footage showed employee Christelle Bobich picking up and slamming their then-15-month-old son onto the floor.
According to WSB, Bobich pleaded guilty to criminal charges linked to the attack and is no longer employed at Sunshine House. The Stevens family’s attorney, Peter Ross, argued that the day care failed to ensure its staff had adequate training and experience to safely supervise young children.
“Ms. Bobich only had four months at another place. She says she wasn’t even applying for lead teacher,” Ross told the court. “We’ve shown negligence and punitive damage, especially on these egregious facts [that] are in play.”
Attorneys for Sunshine House rejected claims of negligence, asserting that the center had complied with all state regulations when hiring Bobich.
James Hankins, representing Sunshine House, said, “She had been approved by the state of Georgia [Department of Early Care and Learning] to be in her position, and including the requiring of passing the required criminal background check.”
Hankins maintained that Bobich alone was responsible for her actions. “Her testimony was she has lost it, and I think the objective video evidence bears that out,” he told the judge.
Tuesday’s hearing aimed to determine whether the lawsuit will advance to trial. No ruling has been made yet, according to WSB.
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