A Fort Worth, Texas daycare is facing a lawsuit and multiple state investigations after surveillance footage allegedly showed employees swinging a child around and forcing toddlers to fight each other. The family of a 4-year-old boy has filed suit seeking more than $1 million in damages.
Heather Harris said she knew something was wrong when she picked up her son from the Arka Montessori Academy of Risinger and found him crying uncontrollably and covered in bruises. Staff told her he had fought with another child, but she said the explanation did not add up, so she demanded to see the classroom’s surveillance footage. What she saw prompted her and her husband, Richard Harris, to take legal action.
Lawsuit Filed in Tarrant County District Court
Heather and Richard Harris filed their lawsuit on September 4 against Arka Risinger Educators LLC, the operator of the child care center on West Risinger Road. The case is before Tarrant County’s 48th District Court and accuses the center of negligence, gross negligence, and failing to properly hire, train, and supervise its employees. The family and their attorney have described the footage as resembling a “child fight club.”
The surveillance video, according to the lawsuit, shows staff swinging a child around like a rag doll and attempting to force him to fight another child. The family is asking a jury to determine the final damages amount, with a floor of more than $1 million. As part of Fort Worth toddler fight club lawsuit, state regulators have already cited the center for improper discipline, prohibited punishments including grabbing and pulling, yelling at children, and failure to intervene.
16 State Violations Cited Since 2024
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Child Care Regulation Division has investigated Arka Montessori Academy and cited it for 16 violations since 2024. Inspectors found at least 21 separate safety deficiencies during those reviews. The most recent investigation also surfaced employee accounts alleging that a staff member had previously yelled at children or handled them aggressively.
Despite those documented violations, the facility remained open as of the filing of the lawsuit, raising questions from parents and advocates about how quickly regulators can act to close facilities with repeated citations. HHS Child Maltreatment data counted 2,341 victims of abuse by daycare providers nationwide in 2024 alone.
What Comes Next for the Case and the Center
The lawsuit will now proceed through Tarrant County’s court system, where a jury will be asked to weigh the Harris family’s claims and set a final damages figure. Regulators are expected to continue monitoring the facility, though it remains unclear whether further violations could trigger a license suspension or closure.
Child safety advocates say parents should routinely check a facility’s state citation records before enrolling children. They note that some child care programs prioritize filling open positions quickly over thorough background screening of prospective employees, a practice that can leave young children vulnerable.
