Dallas Rocked by the Tragic Death of Sir Anthony Smith

Dallas was rocked Thursday, September 16, by the tragic death of a child who was left in a daycare van for approximately six hours, only to be found by his young friend and classmate.

The body of 2-year-old Sir Anthony Smith was found dead by his 3-year-old classmate in a daycare van in the parking lot of Paul Dunbar Elementary School in Dallas. Sir Anthony Smith had been left in the H.H. Banks Learning Center's van for approximately six hours. The temperature in Dallas reached 94 degrees, but it can be as much as 40 degrees hotter inside a vehicle left out in the sun.

The van is used to drop children off at the Paul Dunbar Elementary School in the mornings and then later used to pick the children up to take them back to the H.H. Banks Learning Center in the afternoon after classes.

The child was removed by witnesses from the van and taken to Children's Medical Center, but it was too late to save his young life.

It is impossible to imagine the shock that this tragedy has brought to Sir Anthony Smith's family and to the family of the child who found him. The thought of losing a child is already gut-wrenching but to such an egregious act of negligence is unfathomable. Discovering the body of a classmate at such a young and impressionable age can have horrible lasting effects on a child. Our hearts break for these children and their families.

Police have said that no arrests are planned at this point.

Sadly, this is not the first time that something like this has happened. In 2006, 4-year-old Jacob Fox was found dead in a similar manner, inside a daycare van. His tragic death lead to Jacob's Law, which requires all daycare drivers to undergo training. Jacob's law went into effect this year.

Simply put, this should NEVER happen. Children should never be left unattended in a vehicle, especially for more than six hours. Acts of neglect such as this must never go unpunished, especially when they involve such a young and defenseless child. What is even more shocking is that H.H. Banks Learning Center has been cited seven times in the past year and a half with four of those citations being labeled as "High Risk."

With so many violations in such a short period, why was this daycare even allowed to care for children in the first place? Was the driver of the van properly trained? Why did nobody in charge realize that Sir Anthony Smith was absent? Was the van not checked to be certain that all children had gotten off? These questions MUST be asked.

Acts of daycare abuse and negligence are becoming all too common in Dallas, Texas and all across the country. The daycare abuse attorneys at Rasansky Law Firm hear heart-wrenching stories almost daily of children that have been neglected in some way and sexually, physically and mentally abused.

This is precisely why leading daycare neglect attorney, Jeff Rasansky, wrote the Legal Insider's Guide Series, Preventing, Discovering & Acting on Claims of Daycare and Childcare Abuse. This free book is available to anybody who is interested in finding out how to be proactive in their child's safety while seeking and using daycare or other forms of childcare. Being aware of the dangers of daycare abuse and taking the proper steps when choosing childcare should always be taken seriously. The use of a daycare facility is often not an option for many parents, but properly researching the facility is something that ANY parent can do.

Educating parents on the dangers of daycare abuse and neglect is one step in preventing and acting on abuse. The other is holding those who perpetrate it accountable for their actions. This is why Rasansky Law Firm has dedicated itself to representing the families of children who have been abused or killed by the actions of daycare and childcare facilities. Rasansky Law Firm has a track record of successfully fighting for the justice of children and their families and making certain that they are not taken advantage of in their time of unbearable grief.

As always, Rasansky Law Firm is here to protect individuals' rights and to hold other accountable for their neglect and abuse. If you feel that you need to speak to daycare abuse lawyer about your situation or if you would like to learn more about protecting your child from abuse and neglect, our firm offers no cost, no obligation consultations. Children are our country's greatest asset and we must all work together to make certain that tragedies like Sir Anthony Smith's and Jacob Fox's do not happen again.