Consult With a New Mexico Daycare Abuse Attorney After Suspected Assault

Sexual abuse is a horrible crime that can have devastating long-term effects. When that abuse involves a child, it’s even more tragic. Not only does the victim suffer, but so do the parents whose top priority is their child’s safety and well-being.

Every year, thousands of children are sexually abused by daycare employees, leaving families with psychological and emotional scars that can take years to heal. If your child is the victim of daycare sexual abuse, the New Mexico attorneys at Carabin Shaw want you to know that there is hope.

According to data from the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department, there are nearly 100,000 children aged six and under with all available parents in the workforce.

That means over 59% of all infant and preschool-age children in the state require child care, either from licensed private homes, daycare centers, churches, preschools, or before and after-school programs.

With that many children cared for outside of the home, just how common is daycare abuse in New Mexico? More data from the CYFD answers the question:

• Last year, there were over 22,000 investigations into child abuse and neglect
• Around 6,500 of the reports were verified, resulting in charges filed
• Nearly 300 of the cases involved sexual abuse (around 5%)

New Mexico doesn’t report the scene of abuse or relationship of the perpetrator to the victim in all cases. However, national averages suggest that around 0.3-0.5% of all child abuse occurs in daycare facilities.

That works out to around 3,000 cases of daycare sexual abuse nationwide, with over a dozen cases here in our state.

While that number is much lower than in some parts of the country, our daycare abuse attorneys serving New Mexico aren’t comfortable with any number higher than zero.

A U.S. Department of Justice study on daycare sexual abuse found that the most common abuse is inappropriate touching or fondling by a daycare employee (caregivers, support staff, bus drivers, janitors, etc.).

Parents should watch for warning signs of abuse, which fall into three categories: physical, emotional, and behavioral.

• Physical signs include bruising, bleeding, difficulty sitting or walking, and unexplained stomach pain or headaches that may be psychosomatic stress reactions.
• Emotional signs include anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, a sudden fear of daycare (or a specific employee), difficulty sleeping, and unexplained anger.
• Behavioral signs include using sexual language beyond the child’s developmental stage, imitating sexual acts with other children or toys, refusing to take off clothing at bath or bedtime, and reverting to outgrown behaviors like bedwetting or thumb sucking.

If you suspect your child has been sexually abused, file a report through the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department’s 24/7 hotline. Then, call one of our child injury lawyers serving New Mexico to plan your next steps.

We often hear the question, “Can a daycare abuse attorney help my child’s case?” Absolutely. Every case is unique, but in general, a successful daycare lawsuit will need to prove five things:

• The daycare had a duty to keep your child safe.
• The daycare violated their duty.
• Your child’s injury is a direct result of that violation.
• The daycare could have prevented the injury.
• You have proof of damages (medical expenses, therapy bills, pain and suffering, etc.).

A lawyer will review the specific details of your case and show if and how it satisfies each item on the aforementioned list.

If your child was abused in daycare, the New Mexico attorneys at Carabin Shaw are ready to use their knowledge and experience to fight on your behalf. An attorney at our firm can help you get the justice you deserve.

Call us toll-free at 800-862-1260. We have English and Spanish-speaking staff available 24/7 to schedule a free initial consultation.