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North Carolina Parents Sue Daycare Worker Over Toddler’s Smothering Death, Alleging Gross Negligence

The filing seeks a jury trial with punitive damages following a homicide ruling by the medical examiner.

Overview

  • Parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in Caldwell County against daycare worker Alexandra Coffey over the May 2025 death of 16-month-old Maddy Mitchell.
  • The suit alleges Coffey forced a nap by placing the child face down, covering her head with a blanket, and lying on her while scrolling on a phone.
  • The complaint says Coffey restrained the toddler’s legs, failed to check on her for about three hours, and later found her unresponsive with early rigor mortis.
  • An autopsy ruled the death a homicide caused by smothering from compression asphyxia, and Coffey’s attorney had not responded to the new civil filing in the reporting.
  • Coffey faces an involuntary manslaughter charge and is free on bond; state health officials suspended Creative Beginnings’ license and closed the center after the incident, noting an earlier CPR-training gap had been corrected.