A Texas daycare faces a civil lawsuit after a teacher allegedly encouraged her son to attack a 4-year-old boy inside a classroom.
Heather and Richard Harris filed the lawsuit in Tarrant County against Arka Montessori Academy of Risinger in Fort Worth.
The complaint states teacher Chynia Johnson grabbed, shook, and dragged the young student during an April 27 incident.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Johnson swiping at the child’s leg, causing him to crash onto a hardwood floor.
Critiquing the environment shown in security video, family attorney Russell Button described the facility’s condition.
“This place looked like a child fight club. It felt like one,” Button said.
Describing the physical mistreatment, Button highlighted the breach of adult responsibility.
“This kid was thrown around like a human rag doll by somebody that was supposed to protect him,” Button said.
Former co-workers later informed investigators that Johnson had a history of yelling at children and handling them aggressively.
Recalling the moment she arrived to pick up her son, Heather Harris noted his distressed state.
“I knew from his cry and the look on his face that something had happened,” Harris said.
Reflecting on the footage, Richard Harris expressed deep disappointment in school administration.
“The trust that I put in this daycare, they failed us,” Harris said.
State regulators cited the facility for improper discipline and prohibited punishment following an official investigation into the matter.
Daycare representatives declined to address the allegations directly when questioned about the pending lawsuit.