3-year-old was suffocated at day care and lay dead for hours, Missouri mom says

A 3-year-old boy died in a Missouri day care when a worker applied weight to his body to make him sleep, according to a lawsuit filed by the child’s mother.

The body of Conrad David Wade Ashcraft remained on the floor of Poppy’s Playhouse in Park Hills “for hours” Friday, May 16, legal representation for Tara Williams said in the wrongful death lawsuit.

Lacey Hardie, Conrad’s aunt, described the incident as “a horrific, callous, negligent, and senseless act that never should have happened,” KMOV reported.

Hardie said her nephew was a nonverbal boy who had autism, according to KSDK.

No charges have been announced as of May 21.

Poppy’s Playhouse has not publicly commented on the fatal incident. McClatchy News attempted to reach out to the day care May 21, but calls were not answered.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood is conducting an investigation, KMOV reported, as is the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department, which called the death a “heartbreaking event.”

“We understand the community’s grief and concern,” the City of Park Hills said in a statement. “The city has full confidence in the independent investigation and believes that accountability is essential, regardless of the circumstances.”

The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Park Hills Police Department, but the investigation was turned over to the sheriff’s office because Poppy’s Playhouse is owned by Park Hills Councilwoman Spring Gray.

Gray resigned from her city council position, Park Hills Mayor Stacey Easter said May 20.

The lawsuit did not name the worker who Williams has accused of killing her son.

“Defendant, through the use of lower extremities, applied weight and pressure to (the victim’s) chest and/or abdomen, while he was laying down, in order to subdue (the victim) in an effort to force him to sleep,” according to the lawsuit filed against Poppy’s Playhouse.

Conrad was suffocated, Williams said in the lawsuit, which accuses Poppy’s Playhouse of failure to “properly train and supervise its employees to insure safe interaction between staff and children.”

It was Williams who found her son’s lifeless body when she came to pick up her son nearly four hours after his nap time began, Hardie told KSDK.

Williams is seeking compensation for the “suffering” and “aggravating circumstances” of her son’s death, the lawsuit states.

According to an obituary, Conrad enjoyed swimming, spending time with his family, as well as the TV series “Cocomelon” and movie franchises “Toy Story” and “Cars.”

“He was a beautiful child. He enjoyed being free and living his sweet little life,” Hardie told KTVI.

Park Hills is about a 65-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.