Sexual Abuse in a Louisiana Preschool, Daycare, or Child Care Facility

If you have reason to believe that your child has suffered sexual abuse in a Louisiana preschool, daycare, or child care facility, you are probably concerned about your next steps. You will have to immediately seek out the necessary medical care and therapy for your child and begin looking into other options for child care. You have likely thought about filing a lawsuit to help ease these expenses, but you also might not be sure that it’s right for you.

Fortunately, the Louisiana child injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw are here to help your family pursue just compensation for the trauma that your child has experienced. To learn more about our services, you can call us at 800-862-1260 and schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation and case review. We have both English- and Spanish-speaking staff available to take your calls 24/7.

Many children who are being sexually abused feel too ashamed to step forward. Therefore, it is important for parents to recognize the signs of abuse. These can include:

• Unexplained cuts and bruises
• Sudden and extreme behavioral changes
• Trouble sleeping
• Severe anxiety around attending daycare
• Age-inappropriate knowledge of sexuality
• Apprehension around specific daycare staff members

None of the above behaviors are definitive proof of abuse. If you notice them, ask your child whether anything has been bothering them about daycare.

If your child comes forward about being touched inappropriately, the following actions will help them begin recovering and help you prepare for legal action:

• Report the suspected abuse to the Louisiana Department of Family and Child Services
• Contact the police
• Withdraw your child from daycare and begin searching for other care options
• Get the appropriate medical and psychiatric care that your child needs
• Look for experienced child abuse attorneys serving Louisiana to help you with a lawsuit
• Talk to your child and assure them that none of these sudden changes are “their fault”

The legal process might prove stressful for your child. It is important that you reassure them that talking about what happened to them was the right thing to do.

Louisiana does not allow private citizens to file criminal charges, so your lawsuit will be a civil one. A civil lawsuit represents a disagreement between two private entities, and it cannot result in prison time. However, the defendant may be forced to pay you damages.

The defendant in your case might also face criminal charges relating to the abuse of your child. Even if they are found not guilty, your civil lawsuit can still be successful. While a criminal trial has to prove a defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt, your attorney only has to show that the defendant more likely than not bears the guilt for abusing or enabling the abuse of your child.

It’s understandable if, after learning that your child has been touched inappropriately at their daycare, you are not focused on legal action. You may even think that finding a lawyer and pursuing a lawsuit is pointless, especially if the defendant is already facing criminal charges. However, a successful lawsuit can help you by

• Giving you the monetary freedom to explore other, safer child care options
• Covering the cost of your child’s necessary medical and psychiatric care
• Making the daycare facility’s responsibility for your child’s abuse a matter of the public record

A lawsuit will not undo the abuse that your child suffered, but it can ease the financial burden of their process of recovery. If you’re interested in exploring your legal options, call 800-862-1260 to schedule a free consultation and case review with a Louisiana child injury lawyer at Carabin Shaw.