Homewood day care worker caught on camera putting child in garbage can: 'I had no words'

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Saturday, January 18, 2025
Parents considering lawsuit after child placed in day care trash can
Parents are considering a lawsuit after a child was placed in a trash can at a suburban day care.

HOMEWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- A south suburban daycare worker was caught on camera putting a child in a garbage can.

The child's parents say they are shocked by what they are calling outright cruelty, in an ABC7 Chicago exclusive.

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The parents say this incident happened on Monday in Homewood. They didn't learn about it until they picked up their son, and he mentioned to them the teacher put him in a garbage can because he didn't want to take a nap.

The 2- and 4-year-old boys got to play at home Friday; they've been clingy since the incident, their parents said.

Their parents are looking for a new day care, as well.

Video from a camera in the Learning Lab day care shows a day care worker picking up the 4-year-old, and placing him in a garbage can.

"I had no words, especially when I reviewed the tape. And my first thing was, of course, I'm crying. And I went to the police station," mother Monica Forte said.

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Police told the boy's mother that, since he was not physically injured, there was nothing they could do. But, the boy's parents say other children and teachers witnessed the incident. And they are concerned about the psychological damage their son may have suffered as a result of the humiliation.

"We just wanna make sure that Grayson is aware that the situation, what she did, was wrong. He did nothing wrong," father Justin Barnes said. "It was just way worse than I could imagine.I'm worried about what he feels."

The boys' parents say they were told the individual worker involved was fired. But, they are concerned that other teachers at the school witnessed the incident and failed to stop it, or even report it. The parents have used this day care for nearly two years. They will not be going back.

The parents say the teacher told them it was a joke.

"You work with kids. You have to know how to deescalate the situation. You don't put them in a garbage can if they don't want to take a nap," Forte said.

The couple said they are grateful for their son telling them what happened. If not, they say they might have never found out.

The parents say they are now considering a civil lawsuit against the daycare.

"We tried to work cooperatively and transparently with the family. We are working with our licensing agency, DCFS and the Homewood police. We have shared additional information we became aware of yesterday because we believe it warranted further investigation and possible action against the person who did this. We have also fired a second employee who failed to intervene," Learning Lab said in a statement.

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