A family is suing a daycare worker after their toddler sustained a brain injury from being dropped on the floor.
The 23-month-old tot was being looked after at a membership-based fitness and hospitality centre in El Segundo, California. CCTV footage shows the child approaching a staff member, indicating he would like to be picked up. The staff member obliged and swung him into the air, but then appeared to let go of his hands and failed to catch the child.
The pair tumbled to the floor, with the worker landing on top of him. After moving to the side, the staff member quickly comforted the little boy, who can be seen crying on the video as another staff member approaches them.
The family claims their son has been left with a severe brain injury and also accused the daycare of lying about the circumstances in which he was hurt.
The toddler was dropped while at daycare. The staff member's actions were captured on CCTV footage.
The family's attorney said, 'The deception by the daycare of hiding this horrific incident from the parents is inexcusable.' He continued, 'The daycare facility should have the highest amount of care for the children, and if a child gets sick or injured, they should notify the parents with transparency and urgency.'
The toddler's father, Matthew Kittle, dropped him off at the centre around 8:30am on March 17, 2025, with the complaint alleging he planned to return two hours later. In the complaint, the Kittles are seeking an undisclosed amount for damages.
The lawsuit states that the daycare initially told the father that his son had 'fallen' but had since 'calmed down.' However, after around 15 minutes, the staff phoned the father back and said his son was not able to settle down.
When Kittle arrived, he saw that the injuries were worse than initially reported. His son's eye was allegedly swollen shut, with bruising on the right side of his face and swelling around his mouth. He was also said to be drowsy and irritable.
The lawsuit alleges a staff member told Kittle that his son 'wanted to go to sleep immediately after the fall and that the daycare's employees had trouble keeping him awake.' However, a doctor later diagnosed C.K. with concussion, blunt head trauma, and facial abrasion.
