Five children have been injured after a car crashed through a daycare in Rhode Island. This horrific accident happened at Child Care Plus Learning Center in Coventry on September 29, according to PEOPLE.
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Car Crashes Through Daycare Fence, Injuring 5 Children
A white Nissan collided with the fence of this daycare around 4:30 PM local time. The accident injured five children between the ages of seven and eight.
Central Coventry Fire Chief Kevin Cady confirmed in a statement with PEOPLE that daycare employees brought the children back into the building after the crash. Luckily, those who were injured had “non-life-threatening injuries” and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
According to WPRI, around 15 children were playing outside when the crash occurred. Depending on where the children were at the time of the crash, the injuries could’ve been more severe.
Most of the children’s injuries were “scrapes” and “bruises,” said Cady. This was because they “took the impact from the fence.”
Charles Psilopoulos, the co-owner of the daycare, mentioned that the Nissan’s driver was an employee. They were reportedly preparing to leave with her two young children prior to the crash.
We’re not yet sure why the accident occurred. Psilopoulos claimed the worker was “shaken up.” When asked about it, the employee was unsure what had happened.
Psilopoulos told PEOPLE that it was a “freak accident.” Cady had something similar to say about the crash.
“It appears to be an accident only and possibly caused by a distraction,” Cady said. Cady later confirmed that the driver wasn’t under the influence. They were also reportedly cooperating with the authorities.
“That fence, it took a pretty good hit from the car, and the kids were just on the other side of it, unfortunately,” Cady said. “There were some playground toys in there that probably struck them when the car hit the fence.”
The daycare’s owners, Psilopoulos and Steven Lawton, notified parents after the incident that the daycare would be open on Tuesday. They also assured parents that children would have an indoor recess until they repaired the fence.