Houston Daycare Van Crashes, 16 Kids in Overloaded Vehicle Injured

Two people have been charged with criminal neglect following the crash of a Texas daycare van in Houston that left 16 children with minor injuries. Also following the crash, the daycare associated with the van, Alpha Kids Center No. 2, has been closed.
According to the Houston Chronicle, daycare van driver Conception Coronado allegedly caused a two-vehicle accident when he ran a red light and collided with a pickup truck. The Houston traffic accident left all 16 children in the van with minor injuries. A police investigation revealed that the 15-passenger daycare van was carrying 18 people and that many of the children riding in the van were sharing seat belts. Many of the children were also not restrained properly in child safety seats or boosters.
Authorities also discovered that Coronado was not a legal citizen, did not have a driver’s license, and was in fact a Mexican fugitive. She was arrested for criminal negligence, transporting children without a safety seats, and overloading a van.
At the same time, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services began investigating the daycare associated with the van accident. Alpha Kids Center in Houston had been inspected twice in June, though only minor violations were discovered – for example, the center did not have an emergency preparedness plan on public display.
In the wake of the Texas daycare van accident, state regulators revoked the center’s childcare license and the daycare center closed its doors. The owner of the Houston daycare center, Darryl Freeman, has been arrested and charged with criminal negligence.