Lafond v. Vermont Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Vermont Supreme Court
708 A.2d 919 (1998)

- Written by Sean Carroll, JD
Facts
The Vermont Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (the department) (defendant) licensed daycare facilities in the state. As part of its annual relicensing process, a department employee inspected Kiddie Kare Day Care (Kiddie Kare). A few days after the inspection, the son of Gary and Tracy Lafond (plaintiffs) died while attending Kiddie Kare after becoming entangled in a curtain cord hanging near his crib. The Lafonds sued the department, alleging negligence in its inspection and licensing of Kiddie Kare. The inspector stated that she had not seen the cord near the crib during the inspection but would have pointed it out if she had. The department filed a motion for summary judgment based on sovereign immunity. The trial court denied the motion. The department appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Morse, J.)
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