The parents of the victims who died in the San Antonio preschool crash last month are taking steps for justice, including a lawsuit and calling for a change in the way licensed childcare facilities are designed.
One-year-old Mkaya Amrani and a beloved preschool teacher were killed in the tragedy, while four other students were injured.
Mkaya’s mother, Desirae Palacio, and Carlos Rosales, family member of 22-year-old teacher Alexia Rosales, filed a lawsuit against Valerie L. Haas, the driver of the vehicle that caused vehicles to drive into the fence of a preschool on Dec. 19, as well as ExcellED Montessori school, seeking more than $1 million in physical and emotional damages.
KSAT on Friday reported that the Dec. 23 lawsuit claims Haas was “negligent, careless and reckless” and failed to take proper precautions while operating her vehicle.
Haas was served on Dec. 30, and Fair Oaks Excelled Schools Holding LLC was served on Tuesday, according to Bexar County records.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at the scene that Haas’ medical history could have led to the crash, but the lawsuit and Haas’ response to it do not mention her medical history.
Haas is not yet facing criminal charges from BCSO, which continues investigating the crash, the sheriff’s office confirmed on Friday.
ExcellED Montessori Plus is a local preschool system with five schools in San Antonio and Fair Oaks near Boerne, located in northern Bexar County. It opened the Fair Oaks/Boerne campus in 2018, and has programs for infants starting from 10 weeks up to kindergarten, and after-school programs for children up to 12 years old.
The crash happened around 4 p.m. when the vehicle accelerated into another car, causing both cars to run into a fence and onto several children who had been playing on a playground. Victims were pinned under the vehicle, which had to be lifted at the scene by first responders with the fire department.
Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters at the scene that all victims were “very young children” and sustained various, including minor and critical injuries. Mkaya was one of the children hospitalized. She died on Jan. 2.
The family’s attorney Andrea De La Garza submitted a proposed ordinance to state Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) on Jan. 6, called the “Amrani-Rosales Safety Ordinance.”
The proposal urges Bexar County to require vehicle impact protection measures, like barriers, to protect playgrounds at all licensed childcare centers and areas where children and staff are most likely to gather, and to enforce the rule by issuing penalties such as fines or suspension of the center’s operating license.
“By adopting these standards, Bexar County will take a proactive step in protecting its youngest and most vulnerable residents, fostering a safer community for all,” the document states. “This ordinance is a tribute to MKaya Amrani and Alexia Rosales, whose memory will inspire us to prioritize safety and prevent future tragedies.”
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