Fresno Jury Awards $970K in Childcare Negligence Case

Case Background

A Fresno County jury returned a substantial verdict against a local childcare provider and an employee in a lawsuit filed on behalf of a minor, Norman Martin III. The case centered on a personal injury that occurred while the child was under the care of Wee Town Learning Center and its staff member, Charlene Burch. The lawsuit, officially filed on August 11, 2023, claimed that the negligence of the Defendants directly led to the injuries the young Plaintiff sustained. The trial reached its conclusion on October 29, 2025, with the jury finding both the daycare center and its employee at fault.

Cause

The core of the legal action was a claim of negligence and negligence per se meaning a violation of safety laws that automatically established a breach of duty. The complaint asserted that the Defendants, Wee Town Learning Center and Charlene Burch, failed in their duty to properly supervise, monitor, and care for Norman Martin III. The Plaintiff's legal team argued that the childcare providers did not adhere to mandated safety regulations set forth by the California Code of Regulations, specifically those pertaining to supervision standards. This failure, the Plaintiff claimed, created a dangerous environment that resulted in the child's harm. The complaint specifically cited sections of the state's code that detail requirements for childcare operations, claiming that the Defendants had breached these rules, which constituted an automatic finding of negligence.

Injury

While the official Court documents did not specify the exact nature of the incident or injury, the severity became clear through the damages sought and ultimately awarded. The injuries sustained by the young Plaintiff were significant enough to require both extensive past and future medical care. Furthermore, the damages included claims for profound non-economic losses, such as physical pain, me