A Texas family has sued a Fort Worth daycare, accusing a teacher of turning a classroom into a “child fight club” by allegedly forcing her own son to attack a 4-year-old boy.
Heather and Richard Harris, parents of the child identified in court papers as UH, filed suit against Arka Montessori Academy of Risinger on Sept. 4 in Tarrant County district court. The couple claims teacher Chynia Johnson grabbed, shook and dragged their son during an April 27 incident before causing him to crash onto a hardwood floor. Their attorney, Russell Button, told WFAA-TV that the scene resembled something far more sinister than typical daycare misconduct.
“This place looked like a child fight club. It felt like one,” Button said.
“This kid was thrown around like a human rag doll by somebody that was supposed to protect him.”
The lawsuit alleges the confrontation began when Johnson’s son hit UH in the back while another teacher, Jacqueline De Luna, had her back turned. After the boys stopped fighting, Johnson entered the classroom to relieve De Luna for a bathroom break. Johnson’s son then pushed UH in the chest, and when UH raised his hands, Johnson lunged at him and grabbed his arm, according to the filing.
The suit claims Johnson repeatedly manhandled the 4-year-old and tried to force the children back into confrontation while De Luna stood by and failed to intervene. Video footage cited in the lawsuit allegedly shows Johnson grabbing and shaking UH, shoving him away, and later dragging him toward her son as the boy struggled to escape. The complaint further alleges Johnson swiped at UH’s leg while holding his wrist, causing both of his feet to leave the ground before he crashed onto the floor.
UH suffered bruises and scratches to his arms, headaches and pain to his backside, according to the complaint. His parents also claim he has since become anxious, clingy and prone to emotional outbursts, and ultimately stopped attending daycare.
Heather Harris told WFAA-TV that when she arrived at the daycare that day, she immediately sensed something was wrong.
“I knew from his cry and the look on his face that something had happened, and from that point on I said, ‘I need to see the cameras,'” she said.
Richard Harris told the station he was “mortified” after seeing the footage.
“The trust that I put in this daycare, they failed us,” he said.
The lawsuit alleges Johnson had a history of aggressive behavior toward children before the April incident. Arka administrator Joyner Calvin allegedly told state investigators she had heard Johnson yelling at children and said the issue had been addressed with her “a couple of times,” according to the complaint. Another employee, Emma Rogers, allegedly told investigators she had seen Johnson grab children by their upper arms and roughly sit them in chairs, and said Johnson would “snap and start yelling at the children and handling them in an aggressive manner.”
De Luna later told state investigators that Johnson instructed her son to kick UH and tried to make him hit the child, the lawsuit says.
Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission cited the daycare over the April incident for improper discipline, prohibited punishment and failures involving employee judgment and intervention, according to the suit.
An employee at the daycare told WFAA-TV “no comment” when the station sought a response to the lawsuit and directed the reporter to email the daycare’s director.
The Post has sought comment from Johnson and the daycare center.