Toddler suffocates under beanbag after daycare employee unknowingly sits on top of him

"It just baffles me, makes me wonder, she must not have felt him, she must not have heard him,” the grieving mother said.

When mom Danielle Sanchez dropped off her son Leonardo to daycare on September 8, she didn’t know that it was the last time she’d see him alive.

According to a KTLA 5 report, the accident took place at West Jordan Child Center on Redwood Road in Utah, when Leonardo suffocated under a beanbag after a daycare employee sat on top of him.

Danielle remembered dropping off her son at the daycare; now she couldn’t believe should no longer be able to tuck her son in at night.

“He was a cute bundle of joy, he brought a lot of love,” she said. “Just always wanting to have a good time, he would take one little thing and turn it into an adventure.”

“It’s a tragedy, it’s a tragedy what happened.

“It’s rough because you don’t know when the last time is you are going to hold your child.”

Toddler Suffocates Under Beanbag

The West Jordan Police, Leonardo was caught underneath the beanbag after an employee sat down on him while reading a book to the rest of the children.

The police said that suffocation was the cause of death.

“It just baffles me, makes me wonder, she must not have felt him, she must not have heard him,” Danielle said.

She also added that the accident could have been prevented. Now she is seeking legal action.

“In my mind: My child is in your care, he suffocated under a bean bag, how does a 2-year-old, not even 2 yet, how does he get stuck under a bean bag?” she said. “Something happened, I don’t know what.”

After the incident, West Jordan Child Center has issued this statement:

“We regret deeply the tragic death of a young toddler at our daycare facility. No words adequately describe the depth of the sorrow we feel. And, of course, we do not pretend to understand how devastating this is for the family. We know the family well, we grieve with them, and we pray that God will provide them the comfort and peace they inevitably will need.”

Leonardo’s family has since set up a crowdfunding page to help carry their many expenses after the incident.

His family plans to hold his funeral on his birthday, September 17. Leonardo would have turned 2-years-old.

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Written by

Nasreen Majid

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