Daycare Abuse at Brilliant Starts Learning Academy

Several children found to have suffered daycare abuse at Brilliant Starts Learning Academy in New Braunfels, Texas.

NEW BRAUNFELS, TX — 51-year-old daycare worker Constance Joan Digiovanni is facing 20 counts of endangering a child and one additional count of failure to report abuse.

The arrest comes after an indictment last month when surveillance video from Brilliant Starts Learning Academy allegedly showed Digiovanni forcefully picking up a 3-year old toddler and slamming the child face down onto a nap mat at the New Braunfels daycare center. The child reportedly suffered injuries to the mouth and nose during the event.
 
Now Randel Lee Norman and Patricia M. Norman, the couple who runs Brilliant Starts Learning Academy on FM 1101, have also been arrested and indicted on 5 counts of failing to report child abuse and neglect.
The initial investigation came after one parent complained to the authorities after she started suspecting that her child was being abused at the day care center. This led the local police, as well as the Fugitive Task Force, to spring to into action, eventually leading to three arrests and several criminal charges.

After video surveillance footage allegedly showed Digiovanni shoving a child’s face into the floor resulting in a nosebleed, the woman was reportedly fired immediately. A review of further video footage (just two weeks worth) uncovered systemic abuse involving other children, and she now faces 20 counts of child endangerment, one count of injury to a child, as well as another count of failing to report child abuse or neglect with the intent to conceal.
 

Commentary

Child abuse in daycare centers is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed in a serious way. We as a community must ensure that these perpetrators face justice in order to prevent another child from being abused in the future. There are two way to hold child abusers accountable; criminally and civilly.
The first thing a parent needs to do if they suspect abuse is to consult with a doctor and contact the authorities. While the criminal system is designed to punish these offenders, you also have the right to file a civil lawsuit against those who've injured your child. If your family has incurred expenses as a result of this abuse (e.g. medical treatment, therapy, alternative child care services, etc), why should the financial burden be on you and your family and not the abuser?
If you suspect that your son or daughter is being abused at their daycare center, contact Rasansky Law Firm at (214) 651-6100 or via email for your free consultation. If we can help you, we'll explain the options available to you free of charge. If we take on your case, you're never charged a penny unless we're able to successfully recover compensation for you.