News

Actions

Toddler dies at West Jordan daycare after employee sits on bean bag chair with boy underneath

Posted at 4:59 PM, Sep 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-09 22:50:23-04

WEST JORDAN, Utah — A Utah mother is looking for answers in the death of her young son, who suffocated after he crawled underneath a bean bag chair at a daycare center Thursday and was subsequently sat on by an employee.

Police confirmed Friday the child suffocated after crawling under the bean bag chair, which an employee then sat on without realizing the boy was there.

A GoFundMe page created on behalf of the victim’s family identifies the boy as Leonardo Sanchez, and family says the boy would have turned 2 years old later this month.

Danielle Sanchez, Leonardo’s mother, spoke to Fox 13 News, saying she doesn’t understand how the daycare could have lost track of her son and allowed this to happen. She said they hope to view the surveillance footage from the center soon.

Sanchez said she isn’t personally upset with the employee who sat on the chair, but she said the daycare should have done more to keep track of the children under their care. Click here for more from Sanchez’s interview.

The incident occurred sometime Thursday at West Jordan Child Center, 7195 South Redwood Road. The management at the center released the following statement Friday:

“We regret deeply the tragic death of a young toddler at our daycare facility.  No words adequately describe the depth of the sorrow we feel.  And, of course, we do not pretend to understand how devastating this is for the family.  We know the family well, we grieve with them, and we pray that God will provide them the comfort and peace they inevitably will need.”

The GoFundMe page states the boy’s parents and three siblings, “are heartbroken by the loss of their handsome, sweet baby boy.”

Fox 13 News will have more information as it becomes available.