Family says infant suffered skull fracture after being dropped at daycare

CHARLOTTE — Tonya Johnson said when her daughter brought her grandson, Kaiden, home from daycare Monday, he wasn’t acting like himself.

“I checked the back of his head, and he had a huge lump. And I said, ‘Take him to the hospital,’” Johnson said.

Doctors gave Kaiden a CT scan and discovered his skull was fractured, she said. Johnson went to Bright Path Child Development Center Tuesday to get answers. She said that’s when the child care provider admitted that there was an accident.

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“She said about time to go home that Kaiden was wiggling and wiggling,” Johnson said. “She dropped him on the floor. And no, she did not report to anybody that it happened.”

Director Andrei Grier said there had never been a problem with the employee accused of dropping the child.

“She has been an excellent employee and excellent caregiver,” Grier told Channel 9. “It’s just very unfortunate.”

The center’s management told Channel 9 that before COVID-19, they had an open-door policy where parents could come in and visit classrooms at any time and that nothing like this had happened before.

The employee has been terminated.

“We actually called and actually reported the incident ourselves to make sure everyone understands we are trying to be as transparent as we possibly can be,” Grier said. “We just want the parents and the family to know that we are here for them.”

Family members said doctors think the three-month-old boy can make a full recovery.

“Kaiden is doing fine right now,” Johnson said. “He is laughing and back to himself.”

Johnson said she is grateful for that, but it didn’t have to happen.

“You just gotta be careful, be more careful. And if something the least little thing, especially if it is a baby, don’t try to hide it or keep it a secret,” Johnson said. “Say something.”

The daycare has taken care of Kaiden’s brother and the family said they have never had problems with the facility prior to Monday.

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