A mother’s routine pick-up of her infant son from daycare became a nightmare when she heard bone-chilling screams of pain. The woman was struck with fear when she realized it was her 10-month-old son, Blake, who was making the terrifying sounds.
Sending a child to daycare can be a difficult decision for any parent. It requires trust that the facility will provide a safe and nurturing environment for their little ones.
However, for one mother, her trust was shattered in an instant. Ellie Nilssen never expected that picking up her 10-month-old son Blake from daycare in November 2021 would break her heart.
As Ellie approached the childcare facility, she heard a child’s screams of pain that sent shivers down her spine.
To the Scottish mother’s horror, she realized it was her son who was crying out in agony. What she saw next was even more devastating.
A Parent’s Worst Nightmare
When Ellie received a call from her son’s daycare, she had no idea what awaited her. The caregiver on the phone explained that Blake had accidentally spilled hot water on himself while playing.
The daycare staff assured Ellie that it wasn’t an emergency and did not call an ambulance. Ellie’s heart raced as she heard the news, but because of the staff’s confidence that her son was okay, she did not panic.
Despite the daycare’s assurances, Ellie’s world was turned upside down when she assessed the situation herself. She arrived and heard terrifying screams no parent wanted to hear. Ellie stated:
“Then we realized it came from our little boy… there are no words to describe the fear we felt at that moment.”
It turned out there was bleach in the water Blake had spilled on himself, and the situation was dire. Ellie rushed to her son’s side and saw the horrific burns on his chest and arms.
She scooped Blake up without hesitation and rushed him to the hospital with her partner, Daryl Nilssen. The little one passed out in the car due to the immense pain.
Ellie and Daryl were in shock and disbelief. The traumatized couple couldn’t believe the daycare didn’t call for an ambulance.
Healing after the Horrific Ordeal
The innocent little boy suffered second-degree burns and spent time in the hospital. Despite the trauma that Blake experienced, he was a resilient little boy who continued to fight and recover.
With the support of his family and the medical team, he began to heal and move forward from the incident, and his parents were determined to help him recover mentally and physically. Ellie shared:
“His physical scars will likely be permanent – we just pray the mental ones won’t – so our focus now is making sure Blake is happy and healthy.”
As for the nursery’s responsibility, the parents still wondered why a bucket of boiling bleach was left near their child. They believed it was a preventable incident that caused harm to an innocent child. However, the silver lining in this situation was that Blake’s case was brought to public attention.
The investigation into the nursery’s actions and the recommendations made by Care Inspectorate will help improve safety measures in daycares and prevent similar incidents from happening again. The staff was instructed to:
[Contact] the emergency services immediately. They would have been able to give the right advice while awaiting an ambulance which would have minimized the pain and discomfort Blake must have been experiencing.”
Blake’s family was awarded a five-figure payout for the damages following the horrific incident. However, Ellie still expressed disappointment in the nursery’s reaction to the incident.
She stated they downplayed their failings even when presented with photographic evidence of her burned and blistered infant. Although Blake has responded well to medical treatment, his recovery is incomplete.
Ellie revealed he still displayed signs of emotional trauma, particularly around water. The heartbroken mother expressed:
“A child could have DIED. Does someone have to die for action to be taken? We feel so angry. I feel like everything that happened to our baby boy was completely out of our power. The only thing we can do apart from helping him recover is FIGHT for justice for Blake.”
The Online Reaction:
The online community was shocked by the ordeal, and many hoped Ellie’s little boy would heal completely. Users also expressed their frustration with the daycare:
“A couple of years ago, we had a daycare catch fire. It was a 24/7 daycare, and the fire happened at night. Children died because the daycare didn’t have smoke detectors. There need to be stricter regulations on daycares
– (Amanda Carter) January 13, 2022
“This is exactly why I refuse to put my children in daycare. I’d rather find a job while they are in school or my husband works, and I stay home with them. Once in a while, a trusted family member keeps one of them for a night, but I never would allow a stranger to be trusted with them.”
– (Mariah Nicole) January 13, 2022
“Unbelievable. How could you not call for an ambulance? I don’t understand where people’s minds are at. It blows me away. Not one person there thought to do so? Crazy!”
– (Julie Bromley) January 13, 2022
Blake’s story serves as a reminder that accidents can happen even in the most well-intentioned environments. However, with proper safety measures and accountability, harm to children can be prevented.
Click here for another story about an innocent child in a dangerous situation. The little one almost got burned, but her brave brother rescued her.
