A Texas mother has filed a lawsuit against a Bright Horizons day care center, alleging that her 20-month-old daughter became ill after gaining access to an employee’s vape pen. The incident reportedly occurred on the child’s first day at the Plano center, located 20 miles north of Dallas, on January 22. The mother, Jocelyn Carter, claims her daughter experienced symptoms such as a swollen face, persistent cough, and vomiting, which she attributes to nicotine poisoning.
Carter expressed her outrage in a statement, accusing Bright Horizons of negligence. She alleges that the center was aware of the potential danger posed by the vape pen but failed to take appropriate action. Carter rushed her daughter to a doctor upon noticing her symptoms, expressing relief that she acted promptly.
The incident came to light when a Bright Horizons employee noticed the toddler, referred to as G.C. in court documents, holding a pink object and emitting a smoke-like substance from her nose and mouth. The vape pen’s owner, another employee, was confronted about the device and promptly pocketed it without comment, according to the lawsuit.
The employee who discovered the device did not immediately report the incident, citing uncertainty about the reporting process and fear of potential repercussions. Carter alleges that when she arrived to pick up her daughter later that day, a worker misled her about the cause of her daughter’s swollen, red eyes and cheeks.
The lawsuit further states that G.C. received medical treatment at home that night for a severe cough that induced vomiting. Eight days after the incident, Bright Horizons informed Carter about the vape pen but did not disclose the substance it contained or how G.C. had accessed it. The vape pen’s owner resigned following a suspension, while the employee who discovered the device was not dismissed for failing to report the incident.
Carter reported the incident to the police, who estimated that G.C. could have ingested up to 40 milligrams of nicotine from the disposable vape pen. The Texas Poison Center Network warns that even small amounts of nicotine can be lethal to children.
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the state’s Health and Human Services Child-Care Licensing Division conducted an investigation, citing Bright Horizons for neglectful supervision of the toddler and failure to fulfill mandatory reporting requirements for suspected child abuse and neglect. Russell Button, a lawyer specializing in day care injuries representing Carter, criticized Bright Horizons for endangering the toddler’s life and failing to provide a safe environment.