Two more lawsuits have been filed against La Petite Academy in connection with the hiring of Mark Mays, who was convicted ofsexually assaulted young girls in June.
The lawsuits were filed by Jeff Herman, a lawyer who specializes in helping victims of sexual abuse. Herman alleges Mays was hired by La Petite without a proper investigation into his prior employment, Mays frequently crossed boundaries with children at other day cares and Mays sexually abused two infant girls while changing their diapers.
“The allegation of having a man at a day care without doing a proper employment background check is dangerous,” said Jeff Herman, the attorney for the victims in this case. “Children must be protected.”
There have now been four total lawsuits filed.
La Petite Academy provided 3 News Now with the following statement:
"Mr. Mays worked for La Petite Academy for less than 4 months in 2015. He was then hired by another childcare provider, and was subsequently arrested as the result of allegations made at that provider in 2016. To our knowledge, nothing of the nature in the allegations occurred at La Petite Academy. We take our responsibility as caregivers very seriously. Our strict protocols of care meet or exceed state and federal requirements. Our staff undergoes state mandated background checks, and our employment practices comply with state and federal requirements. In Nebraska, there are mandated pre-employment checks of criminal history, the registry of sexual offenders as well as the state abuse and neglect central registry. These were completed with regard to Mr. Mays and no offenses or other violations were noted in the background checks. Providing a safe and nurturing learning environment remains our top priority."
