Two recent cases have put New Horizon Academy back in the spotlight and Minnesota parents want answers. In Saint Paul, a former daycare worker was charged this summer after video reportedly showed him striking a four-year-old. In Rochester, another daycare worker pleaded guilty to felony charges tied to the abuse of two infants at a different New Horizon location.
TSR Injury Law is familiar with New Horizon. Our attorneys secured a $6 million verdict against a New Horizon Kids Quest daycare in 2015, a case that still shapes how we approach claims like these today. If you’re researching a New Horizon lawsuit or just want to understand what Minnesota law requires of your child’s daycare, here’s what you need to know.
What To Know About Daycare Laws in Minnesota
Minnesota daycare laws exist to protect kids, but they only work when centers actually follow them. Abuse and neglect at daycare facilities usually trace back to the same handful of failures: understaffing, undertrained employees, poor supervision, or centers that cut corners on safety rules.
Minnesota’s regulations are specific about what’s allowed. Centers must be properly licensed and staffed and are required to have basic safety measures in place, from separate spaces for sick children to shielded outlets and radiators.
Corporal punishment is banned outright. Staff cannot slap, spank, kick, shove, or humiliate a child as discipline. That corporal punishment ban matters here because it’s a theme running through both of the recent New Horizon lawsuits. In each one, the conduct described in charging documents goes well beyond anything Minnesota law permits a daycare worker to do to a child in their care.
TSR has decades of experience with daycare abuse cases like these. Call now for a free case review.
Signs of Physical Abuse at Daycare
So, how common is daycare abuse in Minnesota? State licensing records reviewed by FOX 9 show reports of abuse and neglect at Minnesota daycares nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023, climbing from 57 to 100, and rose again in 2024 to 105 reported incidents.
Numbers like that make it worth knowing what to look for. Below you’ll find a list of changes parents often notice first. No one knows your child better than you do, however, so remember to always trust your intuition first as you review.
Physical Signs
Some of these signs were present in the recent New Horizon lawsuits, so they’re worth taking seriously even when there seems to be an easy explanation.
- Unexplained cuts, bruises, burns, or welts
- Complaints of pain or soreness with no clear cause
- Torn clothing
Injury location matters, too. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, children who are hurt by accident tend to have marks on exposed areas like the shins, knees, and forehead, since that’s where kids naturally bump and scrape themselves during play. Bruises or injuries on areas the body normally protects, like the thighs, torso, or buttocks, are a stronger signal something else may have happened.
Emotional Signs
Physical marks are the easiest to spot, but they’re not the only thing worth paying attention to. Abuse can change how a child acts long before there are physical signs, and those changes are often easy to miss or explain away.
- Severe terror, freezing, or crying at dropoff
- Flinching when adults get close
- Sudden sleep issues, like bed-wetting or nightmares
- Sudden spells of quietness, sadness, or aggression
- Constant pleas or excuses to skip daycare
Timing matters, too. A single behavioral change doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. But a sudden shift, or several of these signs appearing together, is worth a closer look.
What To Do in Minnesota if You Suspect Daycare Has Abused Your Child
If you suspect abuse, start with a doctor’s visit. An exam creates a medical record of any injuries and gets your child the care they need right away.
From there, report your concerns to both the police and the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (MN DCYF). Reporting to both means the incident gets investigated criminally, and state licensing officials will be able to act.
It’s natural to want to confront the daycare provider directly, but hold off. Talk to an attorney first. An attorney can walk you through your options without tipping off the facility in a way that could complicate an investigation or future daycare abuse claim.
We’ve heard this question before: can I sue for daycare abuse? In many cases, yes. Minnesota law allows families to bring a civil claim against a daycare and, depending on the facts, against the individuals or companies responsible for hiring, training, or supervising staff. Claims for minor children generally have to be filed within six years, or within one year of the child turning 18, whichever comes first.
Call on Trusted Daycare Abuse Attorneys in Minnesota
The attorneys at TSR Injury Law have represented Minnesota families in daycare abuse cases for years, including cases against New Horizon. If you believe your child was hurt at a daycare in Minnesota, we’re ready to listen. Call 612-TSR-TIME for a free, no-obligation case review.
