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Parents' Lawsuit Details How Daycare Worker Allegedly Smothered 16-Month-Old in North Carolina

The family filed a civil case seeking a jury trial after investigators ruled the death was caused by asphyxia by compression.

Overview

  • Newly public court filings describe allegations that a Creative Beginnings employee forced the child to nap by immobilizing her on a mat.
  • The complaint says the worker placed Maddy Mitchell face down, covered her head with a blanket, and pinned her by lying on her torso and neck while checking a phone.
  • According to the filing, the child was not checked for about three hours and was later found unresponsive under the blanket.
  • Emergency responders confirmed the death, and an investigation determined the cause as asphyxia by compression.
  • Employee Alexandra Coffey, 30, was arrested on an involuntary manslaughter charge shortly after the May 19, 2025 incident and later released on bail, while the parents now seek compensatory and punitive damages through a jury trial.