HUNTINGTON — The parents of a child with autism are suing Playmates pre-school and Child-care Centers for alleged abuse.
Candi Harrison and Alexandra Perdue were also named as defendants in the suit.
Morgan Middleton and Alex Middleton, the parents of R.M., claim their child was attending Playmates during the 2020 to 2021 school year located on Buffalo Creek in Wayne County, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
The Middletons claim R.M. was diagnosed with autism at approximately 18 months old and has difficulty communicating and on March 11, 2021, he was at the child care facility and was bouncily playing with his teachers with Perdue "swung her arms at the child, striking him so hard that it caused R.M. to fall backward hitting his head violently against the ground," the complaint states.
Following the incident, the defendants did not call medical providers, nor did they treat him for his injuries other than applying ice. The defendants also did not contact R.M.'s parents, despite R.M. being lethargic and displaying concussion symptoms, according to the suit.
The Middletons claim approximately 1.5 to 2 hours after the incident, Harrison texted Alex Middleton that his son had jumped onto a teacher's back and that he had fallen and hit his head but that he seemed fine.
When Alex Middleton picked up his son at approximately 2:30 p.m., Ashley Mills was cradling R.M., who was acting disoriented, according to the suit. Alex Middleton took his son home and observed he was sick, throwing up and needed medical attention. The plaintiffs then transported R.M. to Cabell Huntington Hospital and he was diagnosed with a concussion.
"The Plaintiffs found out through their own investigation that on March 11, 2021, the day of the incident, almost two hours, if not more, had passed from the time R.M. was knocked down until the time Plaintiff Alex Middleton was first notified about R.M.’s injury," the complaint states. "R.M. had injuries on his face where Defendant Perdue struck him and on the back of his head where he impacted the ground following the strike of Defendant Perdue."
The following day, the plaintiffs visited the preschool to view the surveillance recordings, according to the suit.
"While watching the surveillance footage, both parents clearly see Defendant Alexandra Perdue strike R.M. in an upward motion with her forearm," the complaint states. "The blow lifted R.M.’s feet off of the ground and his head hit the floor. In addition to the concussion, R.M. also suffered a black eye and contusions to the face."
The Middletons are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are represented by Abraham J. Saad, Hoyt E. Glazer and Eric B. Anderson of Glazer Saad Anderson LC in Huntington.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number: 3:22-cv-00048
