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A Fort Worth family is suing Arka Montessori Academy after surveillance video allegedly showed a teacher encouraging two 4-year-olds to fight before grabbing and throwing their son to the floor.\u00a0 (Dreamstime\/TNS)<\/p>\n
Dreamstime\/TNS<\/p>\n
Heather Harris knew something was wrong as soon as she saw her 4-year-old son at the Fort Worth daycare<\/a>. He was crying uncontrollably when she arrived to pick him up from Arka Montessori Academy of Risinger one day in April.\u00a0<\/p>\n Employees told the mother her son had fought with another child, but their explanations did not add up, according to a lawsuit filed this month by Harris and her husband, Richard Harris.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related:\u00a0 Family sues Little Elm daycare after toddler injury<\/a><\/p>\n She insisted on seeing the classroom\u2019s surveillance footage.<\/p>\n \u201cThe truth came out because this mom trusted her instincts,\u201d Russell Button, the family\u2019s attorney, told The Dallas Morning News. \u201cShe kept pushing and kept pushing.\u201d<\/p>\n The footage, obtained by The News, appears to show a teacher grabbing, shaking and dragging a boy while encouraging another child to hit and kick him. Another teacher appears to watch without intervening.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Related: Denton parents file lawsuit after baby injured at day care<\/a><\/p>\n Heather and Richard Harris filed the lawsuit Sept. 4 against Arka Risinger Educators LLC, which operates the Fort Worth child care center on West Risinger Road. The case was filed in Tarrant County\u2019s 48th District Court.<\/p>\n The lawsuit accuses the center of negligence, gross negligence and failing to properly hire, train and supervise its employees. The family is seeking more than $1 million in damages, and for a jury to determine the final amount.<\/p>\n Related: Rockwall daycare sued after 3-year-old airlifted out with brain bleed, skull fracture<\/a><\/p>\n Daycare representatives did not immediately respond to phone and email requests for comment by\u00a0The News.<\/p>\n Button said neither the center nor its legal counsel had responded to the lawsuit as of Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cOur son was a happy, outgoing little boy,\u201d the Harrises wrote in a statement to The News. \u201cWe trusted Arka Montessori of Risinger to keep our son safe, but they failed us in every way.\u201d<\/p>\n What does the lawsuit allege?<\/p>\n The Harris\u2019 son, identified in court records only by his initials, U.H., was moved to another classroom after his regular teacher left for the day, according to the 20-page petition.<\/a><\/p>\n Surveillance footage reviewed by The News appears to show a teacher speaking to someone at the classroom door with her back turned when another child struck U.H. The children briefly fought before stopping.<\/p>\n Minutes later, another teacher, whom the suit says is the other child\u2019s mother, entered the room, according to the surveillance footage.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lawsuit alleges one kid pushed U.H. in the chest. When U.H. raised his hands to protect himself, the teacher allegedly grabbed his arm, shook him and shoved him away, the suit says.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n