Parents of children with special needs may be particularly reluctant to entrust the care of their children to just anyone. In fact, parents in New Mexico may carefully research or investigate potential caregivers to ensure their fragile children are protected from an accident or serious injury caused by negligence. One woman is dealing with just such a tragedy after her 10-year-old daughter was permanently injured by allegedly untrained staff at her school.
The girl has severe disabilities, is wheelchair-bound, and must be fed through a feeding tube in her stomach. One afternoon, the girl’s mother received a call from the school saying her daughter was ill. When the mother arrived at the school, school administrators gave no explanation for why the child might have suddenly started vomiting and turning purple.
It was only when the mother said she was taking the child to the emergency room that the school principal admitted that someone may have accidentally put bleach instead of nutrients in the girl’s feeding tube. The school had not called 911 or poison control, and it had apparently not alerted the mother of the mix-up until that point, delaying treatment for the child. The girl suffered injuries to her trachea, esophagus, lungs, and stomach.
The mother has filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging that the school was negligent and hired incompetent staff. Further, the mother’s lawsuit accuses the school of causing serious injury by willfully withholding information from her, causing her daughter further suffering. With the help of a personal injury attorney, parents in New Mexico can seek justice for their children for injuries caused by the negligence of others.
Source: Fresno Bee, “A special-needs student was tube-fed bleach at school. Now her mom is suing the district”, Mackenzie Mays, Jan. 17, 2017
